Dark and Light
by Meeerf
Summary: Epic-style novelization of Seiken Densetsu 3, featuring all six characters and integrating all three plotlines. A darker and more elaborate treatment than most SD3 fics, with a twist of lemon.
1. Mana is Fading

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Seiken Densetsu 3, its plot, or any of the characters within. This story is for entertainment purposes only... Don't sue me! But the parts of the story not from the game itself are mine, all mine.

**Author's Big Long Introductory Note: **So, you stopped in here, wondering what this is all about?

I got inspired after reading "Another Witchmaker" by Sinnatious, which should be read by everyone in the entire world, it's that good. But, if you're even on this site, you have probably already read it.

This story is nothing like that one.

I felt like the characters and storyline of SD3 had the potential for a lot more complexity. This story is a novelization of the events of SD3, and then some, using all six characters. Three plotlines and nine final villains are combined, so I've taken some creative liberties with the plot in order for it all to work out, including the creation of the now-completed prequel, "Eye of the Storm".

**Warning:** I push the envelope in a few places. There are love scenes here – quite a lot, actually - and some are pretty intense. There is occasionally graphic violence. Bad Things happen to Good People.

**Stuff I did and didn't change: **Ideally, the story will make sense even to those who haven't played the game. I occasionally use the game dialogue if appropriate and/or entertaining. Most scenes, even the original ones, have roots in the game _somewhere_, for those of you who are sticklers for canon.

I also reserve the right to change or remove the parts I thought were dorky and/or boring. That means no Bon Voyage (well, very little), no Volcano Island Bucca, and NO COROBOKKLE VILLAGE! I hate that part!

I fleshed out a lot of the history and philosophy behind it all. There's a Glossary at the end for clarification, but it does have SPOILERS.

A few things in particular: The Spirit of Light is Lumina (from the first Secret of Mana), a name I prefer. And what is a Delvar, anyway? I read an idea somewhere that it was derived from "Delphic Oracle", the ancient Greek future-seer; for purists, I state in the glossary that "Delvar" is the slang term. Magus is also referred to as "Black Magus."

And, in response to reviewer commentary, the formal term for "class change" is hereby declared to be "the Gift of Mana." The phrase itself was a, uh, gift from Tiamat42. The distinction is explained withing the text.  
**  
**Angela is the main character. Why? Because you can't find her anywhere in the game if you don't play her, and because when you think about it, Altena really has the most to lose from the loss of Mana. Besides, I love it that the heroine is not exactly a Good Person.

**Let's get on with it. **The theater goes dark... Panoramic sweeping view of the world, slowing down to focus in on a snowy landscape...

--

**1. MANA IS FADING (ANGELA)**

Altena was getting colder.

The ice country had always been a forbidding place to live, but the kingdom's powerful magic had kept the inhabited areas as temperate as the nations of the south. As the cold winds whistled through the towns, rumors spread through the people that the queen had abandoned them.

Queen Valda sat on her throne, facing the mages of her army. Her long violet hair hung regally past her waistline; the large diamond of her crown, from the depths of the Gemstone Valley, shimmered as did the silk gown that molded itself to her figure. The Queen of Reason was a beautiful, and imposing, woman.

At her left hand was her chancellor, Koren, a blond man about ten years younger than she herself was. The shocking red cape he always wore had earned him the nickname "Wizard of the Red Lotus". Handsome, brilliant, and icy - that was Koren in a nutshell.

She stood to address the assembly. "My advisors, we have talked about the problem, and there is no escaping the answer. Mana is fading. The magic I have use to keep our kingdom livable is weakening, and the cold is creeping in.

"Koren has been researching the problem, and he thinks he has found a solution." Koren stepped forward to address the wizards.

"The old texts tell us of an artifact in the Mana Holyland - the Mana Sword - that is a nexus of the power of the Goddess herself. With this power, we could right the Mana imbalance, and preserve our kingdom," he began.

"But the entrance to the Holyland itself is sealed away. Eight Mana stones, holding the power of the eight elements, lock the entrance. Only by releasing the power of these stones can we enter the Holyland and reach our goal. It is a difficult and dangerous undertaking... but the future of Altena depends on it.

"Most of the Mana Stones lie in areas protected by other countries." A translucent image of the world appeared in midair; a blue dot marked Altena. "Valda and I have decided we will first release the Stone of Ice, located in the snowfields south of here." A wave of his hand, and a red dot appeared just south of the blue one. "Afterwards, we will proceed to the Stone of Earth, located in Forcena, and then to the others. I've already scouted the defenses of Forcena, and they cannot stand against our magic." A red dot appeared on the southern continent; several more followed, scattered across the world.

"There is an additional caveat. Release of the stone's power cannot be accomplished by just anyone. It requires one of the forbidden spells... a magic so powerful, that in order to rebalance the disruption in the Mana, it requires a sacrifice of a human life."

Murmurs went through the crowd then. Finally, one spoke up.

"My Queen," she said, "if you are to release the power of the Stone of Ice, who will be the sacrifice?"

"Koren and I have already decided who shall die to save Altena." There was a cruel, icy glint in her eyes.

--

Angela, Princess of Altena, entered the noonday brightness from the darker interior of the castle. Another stupid magic class over with, she thought. So what if I can't learn magic? I don't care. Why does Mother insist on putting me through this again and again? If I haven't learned in nineteen years, it's never going to happen.

Even with the approaching springtime, there was a chill in the air, more so than she had remembered from years gone by. Snow, fallen overnight, dusted the highest turrets of the tower. She was accustomed to wearing clinging dresses and lightweight robes, but today she pulled her burgundy cape tighter around her to cover the shoulders exposed by her dark red dress.

Stepping along the bridge overlooking the castle's inner courtyard, she heard a voice from below. "Angela!!"

She leaned over the railing, her lush, thick violet hair, so like her mother's but with a hint of wave, dangling downwards. "Victor!" she cried happily, balancing one elbow on the balustrade and propping her head up in her hand. Even her friendly glance carried an air of suggestion. Angela had long ago figured out that her looks attracted attention from both men and women.

"I thought I would be transcribing the meeting today for your mother, but instead she held her meeting in secret," Victor called up to her. "She left the other scribes and myself standing in the corridor all morning, and she only just emerged with a message to summon you urgently."

That got Angela's attention. A summons by messenger was not to be ignored. She wondered what was going on, and more importantly, how it involved her. Her tilted, dark grey eyes narrowed. She suddenly felt very nervous, and a frown replaced her previous smile. "I'll be right down."

She met Victor in the courtyard, and the two of them walked silently towards the center of the Palace. Victor glanced her way, but she was staring off into the distance ahead of her.

At the left door to the throne room, they encountered a mage-guard. "Princess, your mother is expecting you." But when Victor tried to follow her in, the guard put her cane in front of him, stopping him at the door. Angela turned back to look at him.

"Princess," he said. "Good luck."

--

Angela entered a silent throne room. As she approached her mother's seat, she saw the wizard, Koren, leaning over to whisper in Valda's ear.

Rumor had it that Koren had studied some of the most powerful and forbidden magics in existence, ones even her mother did not learn, for fear that the power would go to her head. She shivered at the thought.

At her approach, Koren looked up, and both he and Valda turned their gazes on her. He had that slimy expression she hated. Goddess, she found him irritating.

Nevertheless, a Princess knew to observe protocol. Curtsying before the throne, she did her best to ignore Koren's presence. "Y-you called for me, mother?"

Koren jutted in anyway. "We have been determining a solution to the weakening magic power afflicting Altena. In order to generate more power, we are going to release the seals on the Mana Stones, allowing us to access the Holyland and gain the power of the Goddess."

"Releasing the seals on the stones? I didn't think that was possible," Angela responded, startled.

Koren continued. "It requires a form of ancient magic, which is forbidden by custom, for it necessitates the cost of a life. But... in this case, we feel it is both right and necessary." Angela felt a knot grip her stomach.

Koren leaned closer. He smiled an evil smile. She wanted to smack him. "Royalty is, after all, supposed to sacrifice themselves for their country."

"No!" Angela gasped, and took a step back. This couldn't be happening. "Mother, how can you listen to him?!"

Valda stood, then, approaching her daughter. The Queen was a minimally expressive woman, but at the moment she was completely unreadable. There was no love, no affection, not even acknowledgement; she could have been looking at a rock.

Then anger flared, and Valda's anger had always been frightening to Angela.

"You who cannot use magic are the shame of this royal family, and you are unsuited for the throne. If you can at least sacrifice your life to rescue your kingdom, it will be remembered as a fitting demise." Though her mother had only taken a few steps towards her, Angela had steadily backed up, until she felt her back bump against a column, her eyes wide in fear. Was this really her mother saying these things? "N -no..._Nooooooo_!!" she cried, and the world grew hazy around her. She thought she felt herself faint.

--

As she slowly regained consciousness, the first thing Angela realized was that she was alive.

The next thing, was that she was very cold.

As the world slowly came back into view, she realized she was looking up at the gates of Altena, tightly shut, and she was out in the snowfields. It was easy to forget, inside temperate Altena, how cold the snowfield was. It had been named the Sub-Zero Snowfield for a reason.

How had she gotten here? Her mother would not have dumped her so unceremoniously outside the gate. Jail, maybe, but not exile. Besides, wasn't she supposed to die for the Mana Stone? She certainly couldn't do that here.

If she was able to use magic, she would have thought she had used some spell to remove herself outside the gates. All she remembered was an overwhelming fear before she passed out.

She walked to the gates and, grabbing the bars with her hands, looked through. It was getting late, and there were fewer signs of life in the town visible in the distance. But really, what would she do? If she called for help, and they brought her back inside, she was destined to die anyway.

Tears forming in her eyes, freezing her cheeks in the cold air, she realized there was only one way to go. Chances of survival were slim in the snowfields alone, but it was a choice between a small chance or none for Angela.

--

Angela didn't know how long she had been fighting her way through the snowfield, assaulted by sahagins en route. The aggressive amphibians were one of the creatures slowly being turned from docile animals to vicious monsters in these days of declining Mana.

All she knew was that it was growing towards nighttime. Worse, still, there was a light snowfall beginning, and a breeze chilled the air. This had the makings of a blizzard ahead, and few could survive a blizzard in the Sub-Zero Snowfield, much less someone as unprepared as she was. She knew the way to Elrand, more or less, but not at night.

She stumbled over a hidden root in the snow, landing on hands and knees. Freezing, and exhausted, she could not find the will to get up. For the second time that day, she felt herself descending into unconsciousness. Her last thought was how much she wanted to go home.

--

Waking up this time, was certainly better than the last time. For one thing, it was warm. For another thing, she was indoors. Her eyes began to focus on the beamed, slanted roof of a rustic-looking house.

"Mommy, she's awake!" she heard a child's voice. Her head was still swimming, and the voice sounded faint, as if at a great distance.

"Hush, Chichi, she needs rest. If we hadn't found her on our way back, she would be dead for sure. I think she barely survived as is." This was an older woman, presumably the mother of the child in question.

Angela hadn't yet found strength to move, when the mother's face appeared above her. She appeared to be in her early thirties, plain but kindly. More importantly, she appeared to have saved Angela's life.

A fear gripped her. "Do you know who I am?"

"No," replied the woman, "I haven't had a chance to ask your name yet. You've been asleep and delirious for a couple of days. You're in Elrand, and I'm a healer, so you have nothing to be afraid of."

Angela racked her brain. She wasn't sure what rumors might have arrived at Elrand, or whether her name might be recognized. "I'm Anny," she finally decided, a common name that could belong to anyone.

"Can I play with Anny?" squealed the child's voice.

"Hush, Chichi, she needs to rest," the woman answered absentmindedly. Sitting on the foot of the bed, she took Angela's hand. "Well, Anny," said the woman, "a young girl from an Altenan village should know better than to wander the snowfield at night without proper supplies. It's late at night, but rest here tonight, and tomorrow I think you will be ready to return home."

Angela thanked her genuinely. She resolved, when - and if - she was ever queen, she would find this woman and reward her. _But I can't go home, _she thought to herself_. If only she knew._

Still exhausted from her ordeal, Angela fell into a troubled sleep.

--

The next morning dawned chilly, but bright. Angela bid goodbye to the healer, without knowing exactly where she was going... but she knew she had to find somewhere.

Stepping outside, she watched the activities of the port town around her. After the atmosphere of foreboding in Altena castle, watching citizens go around their daily business was refreshing indeed.

She wandered through the town whose Princess she was, anonymously, as if one of them. Interesting sentiments came to her ear.

"Valda's a fine queen, we should be proud of her, keeping us together for so long," said a woman in front of a small house at the east edge of town.

"The Queen of Reason is losing her power. That's why it's getting colder, and with the icebergs floating in the harbor, soon ships won't be able to reach here." This from an old man talking to a shopkeeper, piquing Angela's interest.

But the next snippet stopped her dead in her tracks. "Have you heard there's a bounty on the Princess's head? 10,000 Luc pieces. Apparently she's guilty of treason. It must be bad, for her own mother to be looking for her that urgently."

Suddenly the man turned, and Angela thought he was looking right into her wide eyes. Angela hurriedly ducked inside the nearby inn, fearful someone might try to claim the bounty then and there. Behind the safety of the wall, Angela cautiously peered out the corner of the window, not sure what to do next.

"You look like you've lost hope, young one." Angela started, and turned to see a withered old crone looking at her.

"A person's life is ninety-nine percent fate.. the other one percent is your hope guiding you, Princess Angela."

Angela looked around the common room, panicked someone had overheard. No one else appeared to be paying attention.

"How did you know my name?" she demanded.

The old woman ignored the question. "Go to Wendel, Princess. Seek the Priest of Light. Seek the Goddess. When you are lost in the dark, you need a light to guide you. Only She can give you the hope you need now." Angela turned back towards the window for a long moment.

"The Holy City... What have I got to lose?" she said quietly, half to herself. "I don't know what's waiting for me there, but I can't stay here. All right, I'll go. Maybe, I'll even learn to use magi-" and as she turned, she stopped, mid-sentence. The old woman was nowhere to be seen.

Angela blinked, and shook her head. Maybe she was still delirious.

But stepping outside, she heard a call. "All aboard, last call for passage to Jad." She didn't know what came over her, but suddenly she ran for the harbor, pushing startled villagers out of her way.

Breathless, she arrived at the gangplank. The captain greeted her. "Do you have money for passage, miss?"

She reached into her pouch, and emptied the coins within. Out spilled several Luc, bearing the snowflake of Altena, but she could tell from the look on the captain's face it wasn't enough.

Humility was not something that Angela knew much about. Nevertheless, she realized she was a beggar now. Taking a deep breath, she looked in the captain's eyes. "Please, sir," she asked, her voice plaintive.

The captain returned her gaze for a long second, then nodded his head. "Thank you," Angela told him, lowering her head in shame and frustration. As she stepped on board, she tried to give him her money, but her closed her fist around it and shook her head. She looked at him, surprised. After her experiences in the palace, it surprised her to be greeted by the look of kindness across the face of a common sailor.

Stepping on board, Angela stepped to the rail, surrounded by the common people of Altena, seeking to escape the encroaching cold, heading towards an uncertain future. She was only another one of them, now. She brooded as the ship loosed its moorings, and she watched her home fade in the distance.


	2. Far From Home

**2. FAR FROM HOME (ANGELA)**

Angela stepped off the boat in Jad, looking around her in doubt at the city. Jad might be a major port in this part of the world, surmounted by the stone castle on the sea cliffs, but for someone who had grown up among the riches of Altena, it left much to be desired.

On the street level above her, she looked to see a silver-tufted Beastman overlooking the city, his arms crossed in a overtly aggressive posture. She saw other Jad citizens in the square looking upwards fearfully in the same direction she gazed.

"We, the warriors of the Beast Kingdom, now control this city!" he shouted. "Do not interfere, and we will cause you no harm!"

Great. She looked back at her co-passengers from the ship. Although she had taken pains not to learn, or give, any names, over the four-day journey she had gotten to know quite a few. "Looks like we're stuck here for now," said one middle-aged woman she had spoken with a time or two.

She looked around at the population of Jad, stepping warily while the heavily muscled beastman guards watched to make sure the captive city was staying in line. Angela would have take them all out in an instant if she had skills of magic, but as it was, she would settle for whapping one of them over the head with her cane. Only, she had a feeling that would be asking for trouble, trouble she did not need right now.

Unsure where to go next, she did what seemed entirely logical to her. She stepped into the pub, always a good place to find information from the shady characters that frequent it. She could use a drink right now, anyway. Since the captain had refused to accept payment for passage, she did, in fact, have money for a bit.

Stepping into the building's darkness from the bright sun outside, she let her eyes adjust and slowly perceived that the only presence in the room, besides the listless barkeep, was a young man of about her age. He had a shock of unkempt lavender hair, partly gathered by a satin wrap, lighter than her own - a common color in Altena, but not so much in other parts of the world. But the sun-bronzed skin of his tall, lean body had never seen the snowfield... nor had the light vest that left his arms bare... Navarrese, she guessed. Perhaps he had a splash of Altenan blood.

His rich brown eyes were tilted slightly, giving a mysterious look to the stranger. He was quite good-looking, really. Perhaps she could amuse herself for a short while before figuring out where to go next. He turned silently to look at her with watchful eyes.

She slithered onto the barstool next to him, giving him a seductive look out of the corner of her eye. He took the bait, stepping ever so slightly closer to her; obviously this was not a man intimidated by an attractive woman. "I'd ask you on a date tonight, but with the atmosphere in this town, I think I may have to settle for just buying you a drink instead."

"That could be arranged," she responded, maintaining her best smoldering look. "I'll take a Wendelian red." "Barkeep, a red wine for the lady!" the man called smoothly. Calling across the bar like that might have been taken for rudeness, but somehow his charm exuded, and within a minute her goblet was present. She accepted the glass of wine from the bartender with a smoky smile. Sitting next to this handsome man, she was tempted to flirt, but she reminded herself that she was far from home, a Princess in exile, and she had to protect herself first. In other words, proceed with caution.

So the two of them talked idly, of things of no importance. It was a relief, somewhat. Out here, with no identity, no one trying to kill her... she could forget who she was, and her problems, for a little while at least. She was enjoying the stranger's company, but somewhat abruptly, he put down his now-empty glass, stood up, and turned to the door.

"I am sorry to leave a beautiful woman like this," he said, giving her that winning grin, "but I do have to go. There are some things I must do before I leave tonight."

"Leave? Where are you going? And more importantly, how?" Angela asked, startled and intrigued. No one could get past those beast-guards, no one!

"Ah, so the young lady would like to leave herself. I certainly don't blame you." He leaned closer to her. "At night, the beastmen turn into beasts, and they roam the streets instead of standing guard," he whispered to her. "That's your chance to escape."

Angela was relieved to hear that she would not, in fact, be trapped in a city conquered by Beastmen for the rest of her life. Besides, she had a goal - to make it to Wendel... She thanked the man with another one of those smiles.

Grinning back with an equally suggestive expression, he raised two fingers to his forehead in a salute to her, then walked out the door. She turned her head to watch him leave.

As soon as he left, Angela realized he had never given her his name. Then again, neither had she. In these uncertain times, perhaps it was better that way.

It seemed for a while, at least, she would find herself alone.

--

The boat from Palo, ocean outpost of the kingdom of Rolante, entered the city around noon. Due to the limits of communication, the ferry system had not heard about the occupation until it was too late, and it seemed neither the ship, nor the passengers, would be allowed to leave.

The young Paloan man who captained this ship approached the mysterious woman, watching at the bow after all the passengers have disembarked, cloaked in an olive green hooded cloak. "Miss, we've arrived at the city, but the Beastmen have taken over."

The cloaked figure merely nodded. The young captain expected nothing less. He knew she was running from something. With the Rolantic castle being taken over, and the wilder rumors that had reached Palo from other countries, perhaps he was not surprised.

The woman stepped off the boat and entered the city of Jad. Slowly, she pulled back her hood, and shook her loose golden hair out, to reveal the face of the Rolantic princess.

--

As soon as Lise realized she had entered an occupied city, she began to assemble her plan of action. An Amazon-Princess of Rolante knew how to take care of herself.

Well, since it appeared she was stuck here for a bit, she could at least take advantage of the time to stock up on supplies. Despite the hurry in which she had fled Rolante, after the Navarre attack, the death of her father the king, the kidnapping of her brother the prince - she had the presence of mind to sneak through the castle's secret passages down to the treasury to grab money. It was the one thing she could not find along the way. The purses she had taken would ensure that she would not go hungry - or unarmed.

She unwrapped her spear from the cloth it had been concealed in. It had been her mother's, and she would never have left the castle without it. The Beastmen were so arrogant that they only glanced at her weapon as she walked past, dismissing her as unthreatening.

First stop, the item shop. Approaching a passing old woman, she inquired about the way. The woman jerked her head off to the left, and then hurried off. Lise suspected that was all the response she would get from anyone in this town.

Nevertheless, it wasn't long before she spied the icon on the sign above one of the doors on near the end of the street. She stepped in and approached the shopkeeper, who appeared to have an ample supply of medicine, but not much else. She stocked up as much as she could carry before stepping in the adjoining restaurant for a bite to eat to regain her strength. Lise sat alone in the large room, or so she thought, until she noticed a young man, who appeared to be hiding in the corner, avoiding notice as he carefully looked out the window.

She got up and approached slowly. Maybe he knew how to get out of here. "Excuse me," she said, and tapped him on the shoulder.

He jumped at her touch. Lise felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she said quickly. Up close, she could see he was all thick muscle. Obviously a fighting type, what could he have to be afraid of?

"N... no, can't let the other beastmen know am here." The _other _beastmen? He did look a little like them in terms of body type, but then again, he did not. She wondered exactly who she had met.

"Leaving tonight, when they turn into wolves. You should do the same," he added.

So that was the trick. "I thank you for the advice, sir." Not wanting to bother him further, she left him in peace and stepped back outside into the city streets.

It took her some time to find her way to the weapon shop. Entering, she was surprised to see a young man in full armor, apparently very angry. The sword he was shaking was bronze, suitable enough but lacking the strength of steel or iron.

"I'm sorry, sir, the beastmen took everything," the shopkeeper cowered. To Lise's eye, the man did not seem threatening, just upset, but she supposed that the atmosphere in this town was such that the citizens would avoid any sort of conflict.

"I don't believe this! A weapon shop that doesn't sell any weapons!" His long, red-brown hair tossed as he shook his head back and forth. Coming up behind him, she noticed his solid build. He was about average height for a man, four or five inches taller than Lise herself. She suspected he knew exactly what to do with the weapons he was looking to buy.

He turned to go, and noticing her, made eye contact. She noticed his piercing, large baby blue eyes, although there wasn't much softness in them at the moment. "You won't find much luck here, my lady. Apparently there are no weapons left in town." And with that he left.

Given the selection at the item shop, she wasn't entirely surprised, but she approached the shopkeeper anyway, making sure to soften her voice before he thought she was there to cause trouble as well. After all, it wasn't terribly calming to encounter first an angry man in armor wielding a sword, then an Amazon hefting her spear. "Sir, can I expect the same thing at the armor shop?"

The merchant appeared to have regained some composure. "Yes, my... lady," he replied, emulating the knight's address for her, obviously unsure of what address to use for an Amazon warrior. "The beastmen have cleaned this town out."

She thanked him, and wished him a good day. She hadn't been able to restock her supplies, not that it mattered terribly, now that she knew how to get out of town. If she was meant to leave at night, then perhaps she should find an inn and catch up on some sleep, she thought to herself; she didn't know when or where her next stop would be.

On the walk to the inn, idly she thought about the man she had met, so upset over not being able to upgrade his weapon. Probably a local, she thought, a young man who thinks some sword training is enough to protect him from anything. He's probably looking to start a fight with some of these beastmen. Well, once of them knocks him senseless, he'll learn his lesson.

In any case, she had her own problems to attend to. She doubted she'd see the man again.

--

It seemed Angela had nowhere to go until the evening. Heading towards the inn, it only took a smile and a wink for the innkeeper to let her borrow one of his vacant rooms for a couple hours at a greatly reduced rate. For free, in fact.

Looking out the window of her borrowed quarters, Angela watched the sun go down and fantasized, just for fun, about the handsome man she had met that day. She must have dozed off, for the next thing she was conscious of, was that it was full dark outside. It was time, she knew. She picked up the small satchel she had obtained in Elrand, and, leaving the door to the room open, emerged back into the streets of Jad.

It was like a whole other world now. Few townspeople were out, but in the shadows she saw furry figures moving. She had never seen real beastmen transform, but she reminded herself this was no time to get a closer look.

Just as the man had told her, the gates were unguarded; she suspected the sentries were among the shadowy shapes she had observed earlier. Giving one last quick look around her, she slipped through the gates of Jad, out into the forest.


	3. Towards the Light

**3. TOWARDS THE LIGHT (ANGELA)**

Outside the castle gates, Angela headed out into the neighboring forest. The only creatures she saw were the ubiquitous, deceptively adorable, fuzzy long-eared rabites asleep in clusters among the trees, and occasional odd mushroom-like creatures that had proliferated along with the changes in Mana. Some whacks and bops of her cane made short work of them, doubling up on her attack for some especially aggressive animated fungi. It did the trick, but after a few miles her cane began to show signs of the unusually rough use it was being put through.

She had worried about where to go next, but apparently this part of the world was rather densely populated, and signs led her to the lakeshore village of Astoria within a couple hours. She briefly veered onto the path labeled as "Cave of Waterfalls", but found the cave blocked by a strange barrier. Magic, obviously; she could sense it, but a few minutes of banging and poking convinced her she couldn't do anything with it, and she backtracked to the main path.

The town could not have been more different from Jad. Despite it being close to midnight, townspeople, even children, were still in the streets, and greeted her warmly as she passed by. She suspected it had to do with Astoria being a smaller village; they were probably more used to being neighborly than their city cousins.

She figured she must be getting close to Wendel, and inquired further directions from an old woman watching her granddaughter playing in the grass. "Well, the way to get there is through the Cave of Waterfalls," the woman told her, "but the Priest of Light has it sealed off right now. I'm not sure how to get in."

So that's what the strange barrier had been about. Well, _that _was definitely not a problem she would be able to solve at this time of night. It appeared she was going to be in Astoria for the night, but her nap in Jad had let her feeling refreshed. Strolling through the town, she came across the weapon shop. "I have just the thing for you," the shopkeeper announced, running one eye over her somewhat beaten cane, and reaching behind him to proudly display a longer implement. "A Witch's Staff," he announced.

Angela cringed at the Altenan slur, but it was heavier and more durable than her current weapon, so she bought it, feeling comforted by the weight as she hefted it on the way out.

Stepping outside the shop, she looked to her left and saw a man staring intently over the lake. Even as she walked closer, he did not turn around, not even once she was standing right next to him. Angela followed his gaze; she looked at the water, she looked at the opposite shore, she squinted her eyes, but nothing out there seemed special.

Finally she grew irritated. "What are we looking at?" she demanded.

Well, the man could hear at least. "There's been a light sighted over the lake the past few days. I'm wondering if this is the day it will finally be seen over Astoria. Legend has it that a light over the lake will signal the destruction of the village. This could be portent of doom to come," he finished, sounding surprisingly nonchalant about the idea.

A light?? she wondered. That was the big deal?

Wanting to avoid any more bizarre encounters, Angela walked a short way along the lake shore, finding a strip of beach in front of an empty house. Surrounded by relative stillness, hearing only the occasional voices of villagers in the distance, she sat against a rock and looked out against the lake once again. She probably looked like that crazy guy outside the weapon shop. She wasn't sure how staring at water like this was supposed to be relaxing - give her a nice howling snowstorm any day, that was more her thing - but it passed the time.

Slowly the village voices quieted, and Angela felt her eyelids growing heavy. It wasn't as if she had been getting tons of sleep lately, and for the first time in a while, she felt she was someplace safe. Before she fell asleep right there on the beach, she pulled herself up and headed towards the inn.

--

Angela woke up to light streaming through the windows. She thought she had slept through until morning, until she realized that the light was _moving_.

Startled, she looked out the window, to see a glowing orb drifting through the town. Had the story that strange villager told drifted into her dreams? Yet something told her to follow the light. It resonated oddly with her; was there magical power to it?

Grabbing her possessions, she rushed into the empty streets of the sleeping town, just in time to see the light drifting up north. Hastily, she ran after it.

Following the light through the forest was no picnic, seeing it was able to serenely float across the trees, whereas she had to struggle and trip and fall through bushes and greenery. At least it wasn't hard to follow a glowing orb in a dark sky, so she never lost sight of it more than briefly.

Finally, after what seemed hours of struggling through the forest and avoiding the sleeping rabites, she emerged into a clearing by the lakeshore, some distance from Astoria, where she watched the light descend towards the earth. To her surprise, upon reaching the ground, the ball of light turned into a tiny person... with wings.

_Was this a fairy_? She waited a moment, but it lay there unmoving.

_Was it dead_? She went over and poked at the fairy, who moved slightly. "Pull yourself together!" Angela chided in irritation, hoping this was worth leaving a warm bed behind for.

"Oh.. I'm alright now," the fairy said, getting to her feet, and with a flutter of wings, rising up to look Angela in the eye. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Princess Angela of Altena…" This was the first time since leaving her home country she had owned up to her true identity, but it didn't seem particularly dangerous to tell a tiny magical being who she was. "There was this light, and, um…"

The fairy seemed to ponder that for a moment. "Hmm... Angela... I guess I haven't much choice now. Alright, I've picked you!"

"What?!" That sounded ominous.

"Please, Angela, take me to Wendel. I haven't the strength left to fly. There isn't much time! The Mana Holyland is in danger!"

Ominous, indeed, but Angela took it with the proverbial grain of salt. "Well, I'm going there too, so I don't care. But you know, the Cave of Waterfalls is sealed..."

"Oh, that should be no problem if I'm with you. I can break the barrier with my powers."

Well, that at least was good news. She was about to ask the fairy what she was doing there, when they both were distracted by a red glow, as if of fire, from the direction she had come, and she heard a distant racket.

"What happened?" she asked, breathlessly. "It's in the direction of Astoria village... we have to go back and find out…" she told her new petite companion. Suddenly, she was very glad she had grabbed all her possessions when she had fled the inn.

"Go back… sure…" the fairy muttered groggily. "I'm so tired.. let me take a rest inside your head for a while..." A touch of dizziness hit Angela.

"What?! Wait a minute!" This was not something she'd bargained for, her life really did not need any more complications at the point. Suddenly she heard the fairy's voice - coming from _inside_ her head. "Okay, let's go to Wendel!"

"Eek! There's a voice inside my head!" Angela shrieked, looking around to see if anyone was nearby to hear her.

"Don't worry about it, let's go!" the voice said.

"I know!" she responded silently. The fairy responded impatiently, but she breathed a sigh of relief that she could _talk_ to the fairy inside her head as well, thus avoiding unnecessary stares from people watching her appear to have a one-way conversation.

Now knowing the way, Angela ran back towards the village.

--

Reentering Astoria, she was greeted by a nightmarish scene of destruction.

All around her, the homey houses she had seen just a few hours before were now burned out hulls. She hoped fervently that at least some of the villagers had escaped, but she didn't want to think about what she thought she saw behind the building to her right. Flames still licked at the larger structures, but whoever had done this had been quite efficient in their work.

"Oh no! What happened here?!"

"Looks like the beastmen had invaded while you were gone," the Fairy observed from inside her head.. Angela had basically come to the same conclusion, but had been hoping there was an alternative explanation. "How can they?!" she returned, angry at the waste, the loss.

The Fairy had no response except to emerge from her head to sit on her shoulder. _Did that give her a better view_? Angela wondered. The two of them stood there for a long moment, in memory of the destroyed town of Astoria.

Angela had been angry, uncertain, and afraid since leaving Altena, but this terrified her. She had a sinking feeling she was going to see much worse before she returned home.

After some minutes, the Fairy finally interrupted her musings. "We should go to Wendel. The Priest of Light must know about this."

She thought of snapping, "I know!" but instead merely nodded. Besides, maybe she needed the reminder; she had, in fact, momentarily forgotten.

With one last sweeping gaze over the remains of the village, she turned towards the Cave of Waterfalls, and Wendel.


	4. Cave of Waterfalls

**4. CAVE OF WATERFALLS (DURAN)**

For what was supposed to be a brave and honorable quest, things were not going so well, Duran thought.

So far, he had found one occupied city and snuck out like a coward. Realistically, he couldn't have done much with the beastman, and self-sacrifice so early in his journey would have been largely a futile gesture, but still, it made him angry to find yet another opponent that he couldn't do anything about.

And here he was, encountering yet another obstacle on his trip to Wendel. The barrier to the cave was clearly magical in nature. Even worse than meeting an opponent he couldn't defeat, was to be stopped by magic, of all things. He was suffering some severe blows to his pride this week.

Tapping at the barrier with his sword, then whacking it harder, all he got for his efforts was a hollow ringing sound and a pain in his arm. He didn't expect to accomplish anything with the effort, but it did give him an outlet for his anger, at least until he could figure out a better idea.

--

Angela watched the young man banging on the obstruction with his sword. She felt somewhat satisfied that she was not the only one having trouble with it, remembering her own annoyance the night before.

Absorbed in his assault on the magic barrier, he didn't hear her approach. When she was almost immediately behind him, she cleared her throat. The man, obviously a knight by his armor, whirled around, sword at the ready.

Good fighting impulses, obviously, but not so observant, she assessed.

Now that he was facing her, Angela looked the knight up and down. Nice-looking man, definitely. Forcenan, she thought. He had thick, long auburn hair, and if his arms were anything to go by, the rest of his body must be well built, also. It would have to be, to carry the weight of all that armor. Forcenans were the only ones who refused adamantly to use magic in battle, so they relied on heavy armor and weaponry instead. Some strange ideas about the sword being superior to magic.

"You know, that won't work," she began, smiling witheringly.

"I figured as much, said the man, slightly sulky. "I need to get to the Holy City Wendel, but I can't get into that cave... I've been trying to figure out a way in for an hour."

Angela decided to leave out her own episode of frustration with said barrier. "I can help you with that." On her signal, the Fairy stepped out of her head and floated towards the magic barrier. Touching it with one tiny hand, she must have cast some sort of fairy-spell, for all of a sudden the air shimmered pink where the barrier had been located. Angela was tempted to stick out an arm to check if it worked, but taking a leap of faith, decided to play it cool. She crossed her arms and smiled smugly, as if she had known exactly what was going to happen.

Duran stuck his arm through the now-open opening instead. "Wow, you really did... What was that, anyway?"

"That," Angela paused for dramatic emphasis, "is a fairy from the Mana Holyland." Let him wonder what she was doing in the company of said fairy. She wasn't entirely sure herself, actually.

"A fairy? Where did you find it?"

"Her," Angela corrected. "Did you see a light in the forest last night?"

"Yeah, I did, coming out of Jad, but I was in such a hurry to get to Wendel, that I didn't bother checking it out. Not that I got very far," he said glumly, gesturing to the cave mouth with his sword. "So, you must be going to Wendel to, to come this way?"

"I am," Angela replied. Briefly, she sketched out the details of her travels, leaving out Koren and his humiliating treatment of her, and the part where she had nearly died in the snowfields. She wasn't ready to tell this man her whole story yet, no matter how handsome he might be. "Really... I see... so that's what happened... hmm," he listened, nodding politely.

"How about you?" she asked.

"Me? I'm Duran. Just like my father before me, I'm a swordsman in service to the crown of Forcena. I thought I was strong enough to defeat anyone, until one day the castle was attacked with magic," he said, with a trace of embarrassment, "and rushing to defend the king, I encountered a crimson-caped wizard, who almost killed me..."

Angela's mind was preoccupied and drifting, not really paying full attention to the story, until something he said snapped her back to attention. "Crimson-caped wizard?" she asked.

Duran nodded.

"Say, that wizard…" Angela speculated. The coincidence was almost too much, and she wasn't sure if it meant the Goddess was smiling on her or laughing at her. "That sounds like a man from home named Koren… we called him the Wizard of the Red Lotus…"

Anger flashed across Duran's face. "That's what he called himself. You know the guy?!"

"That's right, you bet I do!" Angela found herself suddenly furious as well. "But hey, don't get the wrong idea! He used to be just like me... totally useless with magic... But then, all of a sudden, he became the greatest wizard in Altena... Now, as the right arm of my mother, he's acting all high and mighty! He even goes around calling _me_... the _Princess_... 'Angela'! Ooo, just thinking about it makes me mad! " The words were spilling out faster than she could control them. "He tries to put me down, a hundred different ways, so he can keep his place close to my mother, and I'm sure he's the one who convinced Mother my life was something to sacrifice…" Suddenly she stopped, mid-rant, realizing what had come out of nowhere; something she hadn't thought about, something that was much more than she was prepared to let on. _It really was Koren, she told herself_, with a bit of surprise. _But how? And why?_

Fortunately, Duran hadn't seemed to have taken in the last of her words; Angela wasn't sure if Duran was speaking to her, or musing to himself, as he looked into the distance. "The greatest magician in all of Altena... But I'm the son of the greatest swordsman in Forcena...For the memory of my father, I can't afford to lose to him again." Blinking slightly, he turned to meet her eyes. Angela felt momentarily flustered; _I must be quite attracted to this man for just a look to affect me,_ she thought to herself. "Well, it looks like we're both going the same way, so let's go together! Nice to meet you, my lady Angela!"

Angela proffered her hand, which he kissed, with true knightly chivalry. She told herself that it was going to be so much more enjoyable traveling in the company of a strong, handsome man.

But really, deep down she knew she was tired of feeling alone.

--

As they entered the coolness of the Cave of Waterfalls, Duran pondered the story she had told him. If she was indeed, the Princess - and she certainly carried herself like one - her story was very revealing. There had been rumors of Altena's plans for a full-fledged invasion, but from what this girl had told him, apparently the situation was more complicated and dark than he had suspected. The Queen had tried to kill her own daughter, and then ordered her arrest for treason? What was wrong with these people? Was it a side effect of all that magic usage?

Sword at the ready, he tried to lead the way through the cave, but she stuck firmly to his left side. No damsel in distress, this one. There was some fire in her, underneath her composed exterior. He had heard that Altenan women were like that, cool on the outside and hot within.

The other thing they were noted for was their icy good looks. Angela was definitely gorgeous, with that pale porcelain skin, and the thick violet hair falling over her shoulders. Not to mention the body, which she obviously was not shy of showing.

He had a feeling it could be an interesting journey. She might not be so easy to figure out. Well, he was never one to back down from a challenge.

--

Despite the rumors that the Cave of Waterfalls had been overrun by monsters, all Duran saw were a few bats and mushroom-things. He suspected the more common people might have been afraid to travel through, but for a seasoned fighter such as himself they were barely worth a second glance. Even Angela, armed with nothing more than a heavy staff, seemed to think they were hardly worth a swat.

Still, the passage was long, and they made several wrong turns. They finally settled for the night by a pool of clear water. A weathered Goddess statue, the sort frequently seen along travel routes, stood by the underground lake, its presence in the underground cavern lending calm to their sleep.

It was a few hours into the next day when up ahead, they saw a glimmer of light and the sound of running water - quite a lot of running water. It could only be the large waterfall that gave the cave its name. As they headed towards the open light ahead, suddenly they heard a girl's shriek breaking the peaceful sound of rushing liquid.

"Eeek! Somebody!"

Duran heard Angela's shout, but he was already running towards the source of the cry. As he broke into the high-ceilinged cavern, he saw a young girl of about ten, clinging to the edge of a slender rock bridge crossing the chasm above the drop to the bottom of the falls below.

With almost a single motion, Duran drove his sword back into his sheath, and bending down, yanked the child up onto the bridge. He fell onto his back with a grunt, and the young girl on top of him.

Angela kneeled next to him, a look of concern on her face. For him, he thought, not the kid.

"I'm okay," he told her, then looked over at the young girl. "Who are you, and what's a cute little girl like you doing in a dangerous place like this, anyway?"

The girl stepped to her feet, brushing the dirt off her blue and pink robes as she stood. "I'm Carlie, of Wendel," she proudly announced, "and I am _not_ a little girl. I'm fifteen years old!" As she made this pronouncement, her big blue eyes narrowed, and she tossed a head of coppery curls that poufed wildly around her face.

Duran found that hard to believe, seeing as Carlie, standing, missed his neck by several inches. But... if she was really from the Holy City, that explained her clerical robes.

"I'm looking for Heath!" Carlie continued.

"Who?" Angela asked, dumbfounded.

"Heath's a nice priest who takes care of Carlie since she has no mom and dad. But Grampa sent Heath to Astoria, and Carlie had a baaaad feeling about it, so she followed! When she found Heath, a bad man took him away, and Carlie couldn't get into the cave…" Carlie was openly sniffling, just on the verge of tears. "Then you came along, and Carlie followed you in! But she took a wrong turn, and fell down!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Duran could see Angela with arms crossed, obviously irritated at the distraction. "Wait here, Carlie," he told the girl, and went to confer with his companion.

"We can't leave her here, Angela," he told her.

"I know," she sighed, "but it's going to slow us down to be saddled with a kid all the way to Wendel."

A moment of silence passed. Duran had thought she would argue more, but it seemed to be settled. "Carlie, we'll take you back to Wendel. We're going to see the Priest of Light there."

"The Priest of Light? That's my Grampa, Carlie will show you the way! We're almost there!"

That's good news, thought Duran, I'm sure the Priest will be pleased to see us when we bring his grandchild back home.

Carlie skipped ahead across the bridge. Looking at her childish enthusiasm, Duran would have never had guessed that her life had been in danger only minutes before.

True to the child's word, within the hour they had stepped outside of the cave. Ahead of them they could see their goal, the Holy City of Wendel.


	5. The Holy City

**5. THE HOLY CITY (ANGELA)**

After the fearful atmosphere of Jad, and the sleepy quietness of Astoria (well, before the Beastman attack, anyway), entering into Wendel was a breath of fresh air.

Angela looked around at the bustling town. Even in the flurry of activity, the people wore calm, contented expressions. She recalled from her studies that, besides being the great religious center of the world, Wendel was also the political center of the waterlands. The plentiful natural resources had made the town very wealthy.

Which meant that the Goddess could have a really nice temple.

There it stood at the edge of town, its gleaming white columns shining in the late afternoon sun. It was... peaceful... to gaze upon. Angela suspected that having that there, always in view, contributed to the relaxed attitude of Wendel's people.

They didn't stop in the town; they had a goal. They had both left their countries to see the Priest of Light - well not that Angela had much of a choice, but whatever, same thing. As they drew near the temple, they saw more fervent looks on the people around them. Obviously, they were not the only ones who had come to Wendel looking for something. She thought she recognized one of the Astoria villagers, looking much worse for wear.

She couldn't help but feel that their need was as desperate as the looks she had seen on the faces of some of those people, even as she hoped she was hiding it better.

To her surprise, as they approached the main entrance, Carlie stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong, Carlie?" Duran inquired. "Don't you want to see your Grampa again?" He was obviously much more comfortable with kids that she herself was. She remembered him saying he had a younger sister; that helped, certainly.

Carlie looked at the ground, shuffling her right foot. "Well... Carlie sort of snuck out. Grampa'll be mad at me!"

Duran was about to say something to the little girl, but Angela grabbed his arm and whispered in his ear. "She's home, she's safe, and we don't have time to waste, Duran. Let her be, you've done all you can for her."

Duran looked as if he was going to argue at first. Angela suspected he wouldn't be happy without scooping the girl up and plopping her straight on the altar in front of the Priest, but reluctantly, he nodded, and the two of them turned towards the temple, leaving the girl at the gate trying to blend in with the trees.

Two men stood at the door, but it was not clear whether or not they were guards, or merely attendants. Duran paused, as if waiting to be granted permission to enter, but the man on the left only intoned, "Be one with the Goddess," and Angela grabbed his arm again to lead him in.

She wondered about a palace - the place was as grand as the palace she had grown up in, whether they called it "temple" or not - with so little security. Then again, maybe a place with a direct connection to the Goddess and Mana didn't need it. Despite her inability to use magic, years of exposure had helped her to hone her detection senses. She could practically feel the Mana quivering in this place, more than when even the largest group of mages in Altena were gathered together.

Part of her ached to be a part of it, to really be able to use magic and to tap into that amazing amount of power. She pushed down her disappointment, and forced herself to refocus on the task at hand.

Oddly enough, they were able to walk right onto the priest's reception room. She thought there would be some appointment process or something, but apparently not so. Seeing the Priest for the first time, sitting on a modest chair in front of a statue of the Mana Goddess, she had somehow an uncanny feeling that he had been waiting for them.

"Greetings, Princess Angela of Altena and Duran of Forcena." Well, that pretty much answered that.

Irritated at being preempted that way, Angela snappishly declared, "Hmm... so you're the Priest of Light? You look like just another old guy to me.. But I heard that you can help me out..." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Duran smack his forehead. Perhaps she _had_ presumed too much upon her place as royalty.

Attempting to salvage the introduction from a slightly frowning Priest, Duran put his hands on her shoulders and moved her gently to the side. "Priest of Light, I am, indeed, a knight of Forcena. I need your help to save my land!"

"And what is it you seek, my son?"

"Tell me about class changing! I want to get stronger, and beat the crap out of the crimson wizard!!"

"It's called the Gift of Mana," Angela corrected him. "Class change is slang."

Duran looked rebuffed at first, but squared his shoulders in response. "Everyone calls it the class change."

"It makes you sound like an ignorant grunt," protested Angela.

The Priest sighed at Duran's rash exuberance, and Angela's slightly peevish response. Apparently neither of them were making the best impression. "Class changing isn't as easy as that. You need experience, and the blessings of Mana as well, from the Mana Stones. Only a select few will ever accomplish this."

Angela knew all this already; the Queens of Reason always underwent not one, but two, raises before they were fully recognized on the throne. First the change to Sorceress, underwent by many of their top magicians, then the final Gift, for the royalty and other honorables... The choice often influenced the direction of the realm to follow. Angela's mother held the status of Grand Divina, a quasi-religious class indicating she respected the both the roles of Mana and Magic in society. It was definitely a politically skilled choice. Not sure how that worked with her mother's recent about-face, but... Angela had always told herself that if she could ever learn magic, she would choose Archmage as her second change. This was more magic-focused; choosing this path indicated the ruler meant to focus on the internal affairs of magic-driven Altena, rather than the world outside. Mostly, though, it required an intense magical core which seemed so unattainable now.

Duran didn't seem to care one way or the other what it all meant. "Dammit! I want to get strong _now_!!" he shouted to the room in general. Angela wondered if cursing in the Temple of Light was a violation of knightly protocol.

"You must learn, Duran, and grow. Right now, you would not even be able to make the proper choice between Light and Dark, with your emotions clouding your judgment. Strength comes with responsibility. The Gift of Mana used to be common among the knights of Forcena, but now only a select few are allowed, and sworn to secrecy after they return from the Gemstone Valley. The elite Knights of Gold are allowed to make the second change, King Richard himself reaching the status of Lord. Your own father, Loki, held the rank of Swordmaster. He made the decision to choose the darker path, to receive its greater power in order to defend his liege and friend Richard, but he chose so logically and unclouded by emotion."

Angela leaned forward in interest. Duran had only mentioned that his father had given up his life for "the path of the sword". She had figured this to mean his father had died in battle. She studied his face, which had gone blank; there must be something bubbling underneath that he was trying to hide, and she wanted to ask, but she had a feeling information would not be terribly forthcoming.

At this point, the Fairy apparently became sick of the idle chit-chat, and floated out of Angela's head to hover in front of herself and Duran. "My Priest! I need your help! The Mana Tree is starting to wither, and Mana itself is in danger!"

This definitely woke the Priest up. He sat bolt upright in his chair showing the first real expression they had seen on his face. "A fairy has arrived from the Holyland? This is a terrible portent! If Mana weakens, the God-Beasts will be released from their prison and will be free to roam this land!"

"Huh?" was the best Angela could come up with.

"In the Holyland lies the Sword of Mana, the implement which the Goddess used to create the world. The holder of the Sword has the power to reshape the world, to create and destroy life. It sleeps in the Holyland, under the base of the Mana Tree, under constant guard by the fairies. If the Sword is drawn before the Stones break, there may still be hope. You can find the malevolent forces which are disrupting Mana, reseal the Stones, and restore the power of the Goddess."

"What? What are you talking about?... Fairy, you never said anything about this!" The Fairy merely flitted in the air before them, not volunteering any information. "Someone tell me what's going on?!"

"Angela, the fairy chose you! That means you must be the one to go to the Mana Holyland, and draw the Sword of Mana!" announced the Priest.

"Hahaha... I think I can do without a Sword like that!" Angela giggled nervously. She did not like the direction this was going at all. "Okay, so, um, fairy, why don't you go possess the Priest now, or someone else better for this job? Maybe Duran here?"

Duran, having been silent in the background during this exchange, straightened up at the mention of his name. He seemed ready to take on the challenge, and he certainly looked more like a hero than Angela did.

"It's not so simple, I'm afraid," explained the Priest. "Once the fairy chooses a host, she is tied to the host until one of them dies." Inwardly, Angela groaned. She thought she was only agreeing to a short trip to Wendel.

The Fairy spoke soothingly to the increasingly agitated Angela. "Your mother is also after the Sword of Mana, right? Now's your chance to stand up to her and show her what you can do!"

"Hey! You were reading my mind the whole time! How dare you!" was Angela's instinctive response. This was not making her feel better. "But..." She paused for thought. "If I can get that sword before Mother does... she'll have no choice but to respect me..." And maybe she would be able to return home. A small hope, but…

Duran just stood there, patiently waiting for her answer, and Angela drew a deep breath. "Well, if we're going to do this, let's do it! How do we get there?"

The Priest smiled slightly. "It's not so easy, Princess Angela. You'll need to use the energy of the eight Mana Stones. Together, they seal the barrier between this world and the Holyland. Releasing the power of only two or three will allow a person to open the gate to the Holyland. There was once a spell that could unseal the Mana stones, but releasing the power of Mana this way is so dangerously disruptive to the balance of Mana, that the ancient wizards placed a curse on the spell, making it require a human life." Angela had the uncomfortable feeling that certain people in Altena were familiar with said spell.

"So... I guess there's no way for us to open the gate..." At least not one Angela was willing to entertain.

"There is another way. Each of the stones is guarded by a Spirit representing one of the elements of Mana. These spirits, directly connected to Mana, can tap into the power of their stones without breaking the seal. Lumina, the spirit of Light, resides not fair from here. She is rumored to make her home at the top of the great waterfall, which originates in the home of the Mana Stone of Light.

"...And once you obtain the power of the spirits, Angela, you'll be able to use their Mana power for magic."

That got Angela's attention. "Really? I'll be able to use magic?" Her voice faltered for a moment. If she could finally learn magic, she could go back to Altena, she could face her mother, she could claim her birthright and eventually become queen... She took a deep breath. "I'll do it." She tried not to think what she just might have agreed to.

"Hey, fairy, answer me... If I go with you, will my wish come true?" Duran interrupted her train of thought.

"Of course!" the Fairy replied. "You will be able to gain experience, wisdom, and strength. Perhaps you will have a chance to fight the crimson wizard and return to your homeland a champion."

"All right, I'm coming too!" Strangely, Duran was looking at her, not the Fairy, as he made this pronouncement.

--

Duran was forced to insist that they stop for the night at the inn. As eager as he was to get going, he hadn't anticipated that Angela would be the stubborn one, ready to get moving again despite the late hour. Wasn't she a princess? Why would she be in such a hurry to throw herself back into trouble?

Or maybe she was just impatient and wanted to get the next step over with. From what he had observed, in the short time they had known each other, that really made a lot more sense.

She acquiesced, but remained in a snippy mood. He managed to soften her somewhat by offering to buy her dinner, and a new silk robe they had seen in the window of the armor shop, after she awkwardly confessed that she had left her homeland with only a few coins. King Richard had given him a large purse when he left Forcena, and contacts to get more.

Angela insisted the dress was "armor", that it had spells woven into it. He wasn't sure he believed her, but it sure did look damn good on her, the silk clinging to her skin in all the right places.

Once she had finally given up the fight and agreed to stay in Wendel for the evening, her mood lightened considerably. For someone he had met only just yesterday, they seemed to be getting to know each other fairly quickly. He supposed that was what happened with two people on such a determined mission.

At dinner, her mood was lighthearted, even flirtatious. She peppered the conversation with innuendo and comments to make him blush. It incited stirrings in his body that he had ignored for a while, being preoccupied with more lofty goals.

Duran was not so naive, though, as to believe her behavior was meant for anything more than a casual flirtation. He couldn't let himself be distracted by a pretty face. Fortunately for him, she didn't really seem to expect anything to come of it, and bid him goodnight at the end of dinner, with a swish of her new dress as she left to retire to her room.

--

Angela snuck a glance at Duran as they returned along the path to the Cave of Waterfalls.

His kindness the night before had taken her by surprise. At the front counter of the inn, she had turned to hide her meager purse from Duran, removing a few of her coins to leave the bag feeling even lighter.

He leaned over her shoulder, and saw what she was doing.

Hurriedly slapping down the full amount on the counter, he tugged her a few steps away, thankfully out of earshot. "Princess," he asked her gently, "that's all you have, isn't it?"

Angela could only nod in mortification as she hung her head, tears of embarrassment filling her eyes. But Duran placed a hand under her chin and turned her face back to his. His look was surprised, but she did not see the pity she feared.

He held her eyes for a moment. "As long as we are traveling together, I will cover the expenses," he told - _told_! - her. "Let's go stock up for the journey." As he wasn't really asking, she had no choice but to agree, yet suddenly she felt an immense sense of relief.

Even then, she thought he might have wanted something in return, but a little flirtatious behavior to test the waters earned no response. She had caught the way he looked at her from time to time; she knew he enjoyed the view. But as she climbed the stairs to her room that night, she realized perhaps she had found someone she could trust. It was a strangely uncomfortable feeling.

Angela was pulled out of her reminisces by the sight of a small figure ahead waving to them. At the sight, she groaned.

--

To his surprise, Carlie was waiting for them at the entrance. Duran had assumed she had eventually found her way back into the temple. He should have carried her back to her grandfather.

Sitting on the entry steps, she bounded up as she saw them. "Hey! Did you see Grampa? Can Carlie go too? An'... uh... can you help me? I gotta go find Heath! He's in trouble!"

Duran knew he had to be firm. Angela was right, they couldn't afford to baby-sit a kid on their quest. "No. It's dangerous to go any further.. you'll be safe if you stay in Wendel."

"But.. Carlie's worried about Heath! Can I come too? Please please?"

Angela jumped in. "What are you talking about? This isn't some game! A kid like you could get killed! We'll go and find Heath.. so you just run along home to Grandpa!"

A bit abrasive, but it did the trick. "Aw, why did I ever ask you anyway? Carlie can find Heath all by herself!" And with that, Carlie ran back in the direction they had come. Hopefully, she would regain her senses and stay in the temple.


	6. Elemental Magic Unleashed

**6. ELEMENTAL MAGIC UNLEASHED (DURAN)**

With that little obstacle over with, the two reentered the cave, and turned their mind to matters at hand.

"So where do you think we should start searching for Lumina?"

Angela tried to look like she was seriously debating, but Duran suspected she had no more idea than he did. "Um.. maybe the waterfall?"

It was as good an idea as any, it was the Cave of Waterfalls, after all.

Retracing their steps to the bridge where they had first encountered Carlie, the Fairy stopped them in their tracks. "Wait!" she cried. Suddenly poised for action, Duran could only stare as the Fairy flew up to the top of the waterfall.

"I feel the energy coming from this waterfall - maybe it's Lumina!" she informed them.

"I think she's right, I feel something too," Angela added.

By unspoken consent, they made their way to the top of the waterfall where the Fairy had made her announcement. But at the top, they could go no further than a small ledge overlooking the waterfall. It was quite high from this angle. Duran wasn't scared of much, but looking down here definitely made him queasy. He turned to see Angela standing back against the wall, her arms crossed.

Apparently she did not feel it necessary to verify that the waterfall was extremely high.

"She says she can get us across," Angela suddenly spoke.

"W - who says?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "The _fairy_, obviously." The creature in question reappeared to explain. "I can focus some energy from this waterfall."

Duran steeled himself with one final look down the falls. "I'm ready."

"Ok!" The Fairy twirled in midair, beginning what appeared to be a little dance.

"Wait, I'm not -" Before Angela could finish her sentence, they felt themselves whisked through the air to the other side of the gap. He saw Angela stumble and grab the wall for dear life. He felt obligated to maintain his stoicism, but truthfully, he felt much the same way himself.

He gave her a moment to compose herself, but then she stood, looked at him and nodded. With that, they entered deeper into the cave's depths through this new entryway.

Another Goddess statue - what was it doing here, so far off the main path? - sheltered their rest for the night. Duran tossed for an hour or so, dividing his time between looking at Angela and the softly glowing statue, thanking whichever Priest of Wendel had decided to place the statue here. He could feel Her eyes upon him as he finally drifted off to sleep, filled with determination to rise to meet the next challenge in the morning.

--

Despite the detour, the part of the cave they now travelled through didn't seem to be much different from the first path. They were only occasionally disturbed by pockets of many of the same monsters that had bothered them on the way in, and it was leaving Duran feeling just plain bored. Really, they were going on the Fairy's word that there was something to find down here.

"What's that?" Angela suddenly asked. Duran stopped and strained his ears. Sure enough, he could hear something in the cavern up ahead.

Duran already had his sword in hand, and Angela gripped her staff to wield it threateningly; Duran had to admit, for whatever paltry weapon a stick might be, she did know how to use it. As the sound grew louder, they glanced at each other, then together stepped through the stone archway.

What greeted them, was certainly no Light Spirit.

It appeared to be the largest crab they had ever seen, though its "shell" looked hard as the rock of the cave, with similar stone-like protrusions from its back. "Angela, stay behind me, you won't be able to do much damage to this thing," Duran said, getting into defensive position.

"Maybe not head on, but I can help give you an opening," she replied, eyes focused on the creature blocking the cavern. He should have known she wouldn't stay out of danger completely, and gave her a quick nod to acknowledge.

The thing had definitely noticed them now. Its giant eyes looked at them, slavering a greenish liquid which hissed and steamed as it spilled over the floor. Angela squealed slightly.

"Watch out, Duran, that's some powerful venom he has there!"

"We can't penetrate his shell! I'm going to go for the head instead!" Duran called back.

With that, Duran began practiced swipes at the sides of the monster's head, leaving long slash marks in the tender exposed skin. He glimpsed Angela whacking at whichever of the monster's legs she was closest to; although she wasn't doing any real damage, it stung enough to distract the thing from paying full attention to Duran, and the length of Angela's staff kept her out of harm's way.

The thing reared, and spewed some of that vicious-looking green stuff. Duran crouched and raised his shield to protect himself. Angela had rejoined him at his right side, and without giving her a chance to protest, pulled her down by the waist with his sword arm, shielding her with his body. She was a couple inches shorter than he, and rather slender, so she was well concealed as he hear the sizzle of the acidic droplets hitting metal. As the creature crashed back down, Duran saw his opening, and still covering himself with the shield, jabbed forward to take out the left eye. It opened with a _squish, _splattering eye goop over the floor.

The monster squealed, flailing wildly. Duran jumped out of the way, shifting into a defensive posture and releasing Angela, who flattened herself against the wall. After a moment, it regained its self-control and turned on them with its now one-eyed gaze. Its legs tensed down and it crouched towards the floor.

"Watch it, Angela, I think it's going to jump!" Duran yelled, just then spying his chance.

It launched upwards, though its enormous size prevented its reaching much height with the leap. Duran began an upward slash, pointing his blade upwards at an angle.

As the creature tried to dive into Duran, he shifted his body at the last minute to avoid being crushed by its giant form, and the underside of its soft head impaled on the blade of Duran's sword. He braced himself as the blade emerged from the remaining eye, having traveled en route through the creature's brain, and as Duran withdrew his sword, the now-lifeless body sunk to the floor.

--

Angela and Duran looked at the mangled body of the creature before them, its legs tangled as its giant form fell over. Sweat was pouring down Angela's forehead, she was breathing hard, and looking at Duran, he seemed in much the same shape. Until now, things had been easy on their journey. Her heartbeat was still racing.

She looked at Duran, and Duran looked back at her.

There was only one thing to do.

They flew into each other's arms, kissing passionately.

She wasn't sure what had come over her; usually she liked to make a man work a little harder for her attentions. But feeling his arms around her, something about his closeness came as a Goddess-blessed relief - and Angela wasn't even particularly religious.

Gradually, breathlessly, their fervor started to diminish, though neither showed the inclination to let go. Angela kept her arms wrapped around Duran's neck, while he held her tight around the waist. They looked into each other's eyes, as Angela tangled her fingers in Duran's red-brown hair.

Of course, that was a wonderful moment to be completely interrupted.

A light arose to her left, coming from near the back of the cavern, and as they both turned to stare, they heard a voice as well, "Hellooo! I'm the one you were looking for!"

The being before them had an indeterminate, ever changing shape, apparently comprised entirely of light. There were two dark spots near the center that resembled eyes enough that Angela chose to make eye contact, or whatever contact, there. It addressed them both.

"That creature might not have looked like it, but it was a vacuum for the Mana in this area. It's kept me from being able to access my powers through the Mana Stone."

"Where is the Stone? Is it alright?" Angela asked, alarmed.

"It's at the top of the waterfall, in the ruins of an ancient city above. Don't be afraid, it's still sealed. But the Fairy relayed to me your need, and I'm here to help - I'll go along with you and help look for the other spirits."

Lumina turned her attention on Angela. "An Altenan magician... I hadn't expected to see one here. But you can't use magic, do you know why?"

"Uh... no." Angela wasn't sure she felt like discussing her personal issues with a large ball of light.

"You've blocked yourself. Living in your mother's shadow, you think you can't compete with her power, but in fact, you have the potential to be the most powerful Queen of Reason ever." That shocked Angela to the core. Had she really done this to herself? And was she really stronger than her mother? "You have used magic, powerful magic at that, but only once, and now that a hole in the barrier has been formed, it will only become easier."

"_When_?" Angela should have remembered a momentous event like that.

Lumina seemed puzzled. "Why, to escape Altena, silly," the Elemental said. "Not an easy spell, either. Teleportation requires moon, tree, wind, and even a little water and fire magic. But it seems you didn't even realize your power had awakened. Perhaps this will help."

The Elemental Spirit hovered near her head, and she felt a warm feeling begin at the top and spread to her toes. It felt like sinking slowly into a warm bath - headfirst - or feeling a gentle massage releasing her muscles.

As the warmth faded away, the feeling of release remained. Something had changed. She had an idea.

Turning towards the rocks, safely away from Duran, she focused her mental energies as she had been taught, and prepared to let loose. But where previously this had been the point where she felt like there was a wall blocking her, this time she felt her pinpointed energy slide through easily. Suddenly, bright balls of light appeared around her head, spinning, then slammed into the wall, revealing a new passage beyond.

Angela couldn't believe it. This was better than sex.

She turned, smiling with a pure joy for once, to see Duran staring at her. She had some inkling of how he felt about magic, and he seemed perturbed to have just been kissing someone who could take out a wall without moving a muscle.

Looking back to where Lumina still floated, she sent a thought, a silent thank you. The being shimmered in response, and she knew she had been heard, before the spirit faded out of visible existence.

Duran seemed to have recovered, and strode over to her. They stepped through the opening her spell had blown away. Fortunately, it led quickly back to the ledge overlooking the waterfall. Feeling very self-satisfied, Angela patiently waited until the Fairy _whooshed _them back to the other side. She didn't feel nauseous at all this time; then again, she didn't look down this time either.

Arriving at the opposite ledge, they were about to reenter the main part of the cave, when they found their path blocked by a pack of beastmen. The one at the head had more silver in his hair than the rest; she vaguely recalled him as the leader of the troops in Jad. In Jad, though, she had avoided getting this close.

"What are you doing here?" Duran demanded, sword out in a flash.

The beastman ignored the question. "You must be the ones who lowered the barrier! I suppose I should thank you for it! Now our invasion of Wendel can proceed as planned!" Somewhere, during this exchange, Duran had instinctively stepped in front of her. Unfortunately, this meant that when the Beast leader gave him a hard shove, he fell backwards against her, his weight carrying them both over the edge.

The last thing she thought was that, even as tall as the waterfall was, the bottom was approaching extremely quickly.

--

The Fairy flitted agitatedly around her unconscious heroes. She had focused some of the Goddess's power at the last second, to slow their fall and rescue them from certain demise. She heard the beastmen loudly descend into the lower chambers to claim their captives.

She thought of the other fairies that had left the Holyland with her under the Goddess's orders, as Mana became increasingly imbalanced. Away from the Holyland for so long, and spread to the four corners of the earth, she felt her sisters' strength diminish and fade, and could only hope they would be reborn as a new Seed of the Tree. She herself had been about to suffer the same fate when Angela found her by the lake, unable to fly any longer.

The girl was not yet a hero, but without her, the Fairy would disappear herself. She knew she did not have strength to transfer to another host. Hearing the beastmen approach, the Fairy disappeared into the sanctuary of the magician's head.


	7. Return, and Escape

**7. RETURN, AND ESCAPE (ANGELA)**

Duran was kneeling above her as Angela woke up groggily. At least that was a promising sign, giving her a spark of hope.

Which rapidly diminished as she realized they were in a prison cell.

Angela momentarily panicked. Her first thought, halfway formed, was that Altenan troops had caught her. They had found her, they were going to kill her! Before Duran could grab her, she ran to the bars, and rattled them as she yelled, "_Hey_! Lemme out!"

"Keep it down, will you?" A voice came from down the corridor. She froze to the spot. She had heard that voice before. Too bad she didn't have a name to go with it.

She tried to think of what to say. "Is it you?"

A laugh. "Well, if I'm not me, then I don't know who I _would_ be."

That was pretty much the wise-ass comment she had expected.

"But seriously," the voice replied, "if you can stay quiet, so the Beastmen don't come down to check, I can get us out of here."

Angela paused. She felt strange talking to a wall, literally. "Um... okay," she agreed, motioning a perplexed Duran to silence as well.

For a minute, there was no sound to be heard except quiet clinking of metal. Then slowly, she heard the door open. No footsteps, but quickly a man appeared in front of her and Duran's cell. A tall, purple-haired man with a laughing smile.

He wasn't laughing now, however. In fact, he looked all business as he put his finger to his lips to signal for continued silence, then knelt down to tinker at their lock with what appeared to be a stick and a bent nail he had probably removed from the wall.

"How'd you get in here?" she whispered to him.

"One little mistake," he replied, never taking his eyes off his work. "That's all it takes." Duran watched in fascination. Less than a minute, and they too, were free.

"Well, I didn't think I would see a beautiful woman like you again," he grinned at her. Then he glanced over at her companion. He was taller than Duran, but, though nicely toned, could not match him for brute strength. "Then again, maybe you've been otherwise occupied." Angela rolled her eyes at him, and he grinned a little sheepishly.

"All jokes aside," he continued hurriedly, "the townspeople are organizing an escape. The beastmen are busy invading Wendel right now. There's a ship in the harbor you can catch if you hurry. Go on, I'll meet you there." He was already running out the door as he finished the sentence.

"_Wait_!" Angela yelled, forgetting they were supposed to be quiet. "What's your name?"

"Hawk," came the reply, and he was gone.

--

There was no sign of Hawk as they snuck out of the palace. Once again, the nighttime worked to their advantage, as there were no Beast guards to be seen in the palace, just a few stray ordinary wolves.

Emerging from the palace, Angela decided it would be simplest to make a run for it. "This way!" she shouted, grabbing Duran's arm to pull him along with her. She hoped there would be no trouble along the way; a fight would slow them down, and the use of her new light magic would certainly draw attention.

She suspected Hawk had some advantage of stealth, but nevertheless they reached the ship before him, just as a crowd of fearful villagers was pulling in the gangplank, to her irritation. She was not going to be stuck in this trashy city a second time! Angela jumped the couple feet of open water that had appeared, then grabbed onto the mooring ropes, still dangling, pulling herself onto the deck with a strength she didn't know she had. A second later, she was relieved to hear Duran crash next to her with a clatter of armor. The two of them lay there, chests heaving as they caught their breath, while under her she felt the ship begin to move.

"Hey! Hold on!" she heard from the dock.

Pulling herself up to the rail, she saw Hawk standing at the pier. "Wait!" she shouted. "That's the man who rescued us!"

"Sorry, too late!" a man who appeared to be the captain replied.

"Uh... goodbye?" Hawk yelled to her. Well, he seemed to be quite resourceful, he could probably take care of himself.

She wondered if she would see him again.

--

Duran was too exhausted to do much more than comfort Angela that night.

As the last passengers to hop on the boat - literally - there was no sleeping quarters left for them. He didn't mind sleeping on the deck - it was only for a night, after all - but he though a Princess would necessitate better accommodations. And he had already figured out that she was quite vocal when displeased.

So it was much to his surprise, when, as he lay down on a pile of tarps, she merely curled up next to him, burying her head in his chest. It was a trusting gesture, and somehow he didn't think she trusted a lot of people. He put his arms around her, his fingers entangling themselves in that long purple hair of hers, and felt her breathing slowly become even as she went to sleep.

He himself, was awake for a long time. His agenda had changed, now. He thought it would be only a short trip to the Priest of Wendel, but now, thanks to Angela and her fairy, he had a long journey ahead of him.

Duran turned from gazing at the stars above the ship to the woman in his arms. He remembered how passionately she'd kissed him, but he figured it must have been the intensity of the situation. As much as he enjoyed looking at her and touching her, it might not be a good idea to take it further. Part of being a knight was about superseding those base urges. He supposed he would have to push those inadvertent feelings down somehow.

And with that thought flitting through his brain, he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.

--

Sunlight was streaming on his face when he felt the jolt of the ship docking. Duran was immediately awake, but Angela, still lying against him, mumbled incoherently. She lifted her head groggily, pushing the hair out of her face before she was finally willing to admit she was awake and open her eyes.

Duran helped her to her feet as the citizens of Jad began unloading. "Excuse me," he inquired, grabbing the arm of one of the men preparing to disembark. "Where are we?"

"The Free City Maia, friend," the man answered. "No one controlling this place."

Maia. He tried to recall what he knew about the city. Maia, and its sister city, Byzel, were independent of any of the major powers, but did control a large volume of trade, enabling them to survive on their own. The closest major power was his homeland, Forcena, which offered some military protection in exchange for extra trading privileges. Forcena had no real desire to conquer the free cities; despite its formidable force of knights, Forcena was much more pragmatic than warlike.

Well, they were that much closer to his home. Unsure what to do next, he thought perhaps he could pay a visit to his mentor, King Richard. Richard was purported to know all kinds of things about Mana and magic, things Duran had never considered to be of particular importance until now.

As Angela slowly resumed consciousness, Duran explained his idea to her. She agreed that it seemed the best option, seeing that they had not the slightest clue where to go next.

"There's a bridge from here to Forcena," he told her. "I traveled this way on my way to Jad. Since Forcena is land-bound, we use the port at Maia."

"Perhaps we should ask the villagers about the current situation, who knows what might have happened while you were gone," Angela added gravely. He sensed she was thinking of Astoria; he had thought himself unflappable, but her vivid description of the destruction the beastmen had wrought in the space of only hours had given him pause. Come to think of it, he hadn't heard any news from his homeland, despite the suspected Altenan invasion. He could only assume that no news was good news.

Thus, they spent a couple hours of the morning making casual conversation with the local townspeople. The only news of real interest seemed to be that the Priest of Light had put up a new, stronger barrier, before the Beastmen reached the city of Wendel; but he had fallen ill in the process. Duran felt a little guilty, since it had been he and Angela who had broken through the first barrier, but at the time it had been necessary.

Angela started to yawn in boredom when they ran across an old woman who seemed know all the history of the region.

"There's a colony of dwarves, living in the cleft of the earth, you know," she told them. "If you're heading towards Forcena, you'll pass right by their village, but you'll never see it. They have their own way of getting through the hills, y'know. Gunpowder, and such." Angela looked incredulous. Duran merely thanked the woman for her information, and they were on their way.


	8. Confrontation and Seduction

**8. CONFRONTATION AND SEDUCTION (ANGELA)**

They had been warned of the proliferation of monsters on the "golden road" connecting Maia and Byzel, but between Duran's swordfighting ability, and Angela's newly-acquired magic, few problems presented themselves. Soon enough they found themselves entering a cave near what Duran remembered as the halfway point between Maia and Byzel. He led the way through the dark tunnel until they emerged onto the bridge, crossing a deep chasm below.

As they neared the far side of the bridge, trouble appeared from behind the rocks.

"Those are Altenan soldiers," Angela whispered to Duran.

The leader stepped forward. "It's Princess Angela! We are under orders to kill you on sight!"

"Good luck," Angela responded. "You're going to get more than you bargained for!" And with that, she called Lumina's magic down on her own countrywomen. Duran felt a surge of admiration for her courage in doing what needed to be done.

The troops splintered at the onslaught. She had told him it was common knowledge in Altena that the Princess couldn't use magic; under those circumstances, he supposed her newfound abilities would be terrifying. Angela might not be that strong in her magic yet, but they didn't know that.

"Retreat!" their leader gave the order, and the magicians went scurrying away. Angela looked very self-satisfied, but then her look changed to fear. He looked back at the leader, adopting what he had come to recognize as the "casting a spell" pose.

He grabbed Angela, her satchel falling into the depths below, and tearing across the bridge, jumped for the edge just as a giant fireball enveloped the wooden crossway they had just been standing on. Duran landed on top of her, curling over her to shield her from the flames. When the smoke finally cleared, he allowed her up, coughing and breathless, but unharmed. The bridge was gone, and so were the Altenans.

"What was _that_ all about?" he demanded.

Angela stood, dusting her self off and straightening her hair before responding. "Altena has started invading the other kingdoms to get their Mana Stones... If they're here, that must mean a Mana Stone is close by!"

"And she calls herself the Queen of Reason, huh? What the hell is _she_ thinking?!"

Oops. Wrong thing to say, he realized as Angela drew herself up haughtily. "That's my _mother_ you are talking about!"

"And weren't those troops here to kill you on her orders?" Duran was just being logical, but Angela suddenly drooped as if he had smacked her.

He didn't know how to take back what he had said. Angela turned to gaze off in the distance, he shuffled his weight from one foot to the other. A long silence filled the cavern, until, unable to handle the quiet anymore, Duran cleared his throat.

"We'll have to ask the king of Forcena where it is," said Duran, "but how can we get to him?"

That got Angela to look back at him, at least. "Perhaps it's time to investigate this 'Dwarf Village'," she answered. She must be grasping at straws, if _she _suggested that.

--

Depleted of supplies, shaken by the encounter with the Altenans, and needing better directions to the Dwarf Village, Angela and Duran returned to Maia. They retired the night at the inn.

But Angela couldn't sleep.

The inn in Maia was comfortable enough, but small; they could get only one room with two beds. Angela tossed and turned in the moonlight streaming through the window. At least Duran did not snore loudly.

The past few days had been intense, but today had been even more so. It wasn't every day one finds out there is a death warrant out for oneself. She felt terrible having to fight forces from her own country, women she had known after a fashion, but she knew there was no other choice.

She turned and lay on her right side, looking at Duran sleeping against the other wall. He troubled her too. She was used to men falling all over her, sometimes, she thought, making utter fools of themselves; but he held back. She knew it wasn't for lack of interest; she had felt it when they kissed, and again when he had held her on the ship from Jad.

This was not the first time they had been in such close quarters together; they had gotten in the habit of lying close in the Cave of Waterfalls, for safety. But somehow this seemed even more intimate to her. She wanted more, and he wouldn't initiate further contact. She didn't really think he was prissy like that; certainly, when he had kissed her, there was nothing that said this was new to him.

She knew she wanted him. What for, she hadn't exactly decided yet.

Making her decision, she got out of her bed, her white nightshirt sliding off the sheets behind her as she crossed the room. She knelt on the edge of his bed, knowing he would sense her presence. Sure enough, his eyes fluttered open quickly.

He said nothing, at first, but looked her in the eyes questioningly.

"What's wrong, Angela?" he finally asked.

"I can't sleep," she said. "I feel angry, scared, troubled... and I don't want to be by myself right now." She had meant to be a little more seductive than this unusually personal disclosure, but in the quiet still of the town, with the moonlight streaming through the window, it just came out of her.

"I was thinking I might just sleep here tonight," she whispered to him.

By way of answer he threw back the covers, allowing her to wiggle in next to him. She put her head on his shoulder and her arm over his chest; he returned the gesture by placing one arm gently around her. He was so hard-bodied, yet his body was warm next to hers. She could feel his heart beating.

There they lay, for a long moment, with no sound but each other's breaths.

The arm that had been around her dropped first to her waist, and squeezed her slender middle gently. Then it moved up to her head. She was surprised to feel him stroking her hair behind her ear, and turned her head upwards to see him looking down back at her. She returned his gaze, surprised but unafraid. Holding his eyes, she slipped a hand under his shirt, caressing his chest. His muscles were every bit as hard to her touch as she had suspected; until now, she had only felt his body through armor or clothing. He drew breath in at her caress, and pulled her more tightly. But she waited until he himself started playing with the hem of her nightgown, slowly pulling it up to her waist so he could caress her skin underneath.

The look in his eyes now was something else altogether. She knew they wanted the same thing.

She kissed him, and he was hers.

--

Duran and Angela woke up together wordlessly. There was no necessity for speech.

He had sworn he would not let her, Duran thought, but despite it all, Angela had successfully seduced him. Not that he hadn't wanted her to. If he _really_ hadn't, he would have resisted her, but...

For her part, Angela seemed very soft and yielding as he held her that morning, she snuggling against him in a way he found rather pleasant. He was unaccustomed to that level of warmth from her. She seemed unabashed about what had passed between them, and he wouldn't humiliate her by trying to take it back. He had made his choice, and he would make the next decision with that in mind.

Reluctantly, he got up, she following his lead after a minute. They had to find the Dwarf Village, after all. But it didn't stop his eyes from following her as she gathered her things as they prepared to step outside the inn.

Duran squinted in the bright sun, the weather somewhat better but otherwise the town just the same as the day before. An hour or so of speaking to the villagers again, and they were able to narrow down their target area. One man swore the village was right near the bridge to Forcena, with a Goddess statue marking the spot.

Angela still seemed doubtful. Then again, he supposed the encounter yesterday had soured her. If only they had not run into the Altenans, looking for her, they would not have to locate the Dwarf Village in the first place; they would be halfway to Forcena by now. "I don't think there is such a place," she repeated for the hundredth time, forgetting she had been amenable to the idea only the day before.

Duran had a little more faith, however, having heard the rumors of Dwarves in the mountains growing up. Despite her objections, Angela did not protest as they reentered the main opening of the cave to Forcena, looking around the Goddess statue just inside the entrance.

"I don't see anything out of the ordinary," Duran ventured. "Maybe we should ask the Fairy."

Angela rolled her eyes up and to the left, a gesture which he recognized as internal communication with said being. "Tell him yourself! Don't tell me to tell him for you!" she said, snappishly, though clearly not directed at him.

Duran didn't think you could get away with talking to a messenger of the Goddess that way, but she did, indeed, appear. "I said, I can't find anything, but perhaps Lumina might know better." Angela let that searching look drift over her face again, and the Light Elemental appeared. Before the increasingly-irritable Angela could make the situation worse, Duran hastily stepped in. "Lumina, we were just wondering if you might be able to help us find the dwarf village."

"Hmm..." the elemental pondered, or at least appeared to, whatever pondering looked like on a ball of light. She drifted over to a spot on the south wall, examining it intently. "A-ha! Them gemstones in these walls are reflective. There's light tricks in use here. But add just a little light here, and here, and the reflections change..." And with a quick flash, suddenly, the south wall now showed an opening.

With quick thanks, Duran and Angela hurried down the tall staircase now exposed, down to the depths of the cavern.

--

Sure enough, at the bottom of the staircase they found an entrance to the Dwarf Village. Angela thought that, between finding this village, and meeting the Fairy in Astoria, maybe she should pay more attention to crazy villagers.

For all the care they had taken to hide their village, the dwarven inhabitants seemed surprisingly nonplussed by the entry of humans. Several pointed inquiries eventually told them that Watts, the master of gunpowder and new tunnels, was the one to talk to. One of the dwarves suggested they seek him out in the item shop, and pointed them to the third landing.

Angela entered the shop they had been directed to. There was a lone dwarf behind the counter. "Are you Watts?" she inquired.

"Oh Goddess, no! I'm just his apprentice. He left to search the tunnels for our guardian spirit, Gnome."

"And how would we get to the tunnels?" Duran politely inquired, as Angela glared irritatedly.

"Go back to the entrance to the village, and turn left. You'll find the main entrance there."

Bidding goodbye to the dwarf apprentice, they followed his instructions. Soon after they found themselves in a maze of tunnels, facing many of the same enemies they had seen in the Cave of Waterfalls, but also more clever goblins. Angela ducked as another of their throwing axes whizzed past her head. Occasional tremors, seeming to come from deep within the earth, added to their sense of unease.

For the most part, Angela felt they were going upward in the mountain, but there were so many down slopes and backtracks that she soon had now idea how high - or low - they might have gone. When they arrived at one of the Goddess statues, perhaps left by a dwarf long ago, Duran suggested they stop for the night. Not that they could be sure that it was night, but Angela's body told her she was exhausted and could not go on any further.

As they settled down for the night, next to an aqua pool of water, Angela contemplated the utter stillness of the cave, now that they had largely depleted the monsters. The only sound was the drip-drip of moisture from the stalactites to the floor.

--

Angela was woken the next morning, or what passed for morning in these darkened tunnels, by the sound of what seemed to be footsteps echoing from a nearby cavern.

She was about to push Duran awake, but he had, as well, been alerted by the noise. Grasping his hand, together they listened as the sound drifted off into the distance, into the caves they had not explored yet.

Silently, they grabbed their supplies and prepared to move on.

The cavern from which they had heard the steps opened up into a natural tier of stairs heading down. Though they could not see down in the gloom when they had first gone into the caverns, they now were able to look upwards and see that the earthen stairs were traveling downwards and underneath some of the stone bridges they had crossed on their trip the day before.

The stairs seemed to go on forever, until they finally reached the bottom, which seemed to be immediately under where they had first entered from the Dwarf Village. To their right, an opening led into the next cavern. This being the only way to go, Angela and Duran stepped inside...

...And were greeted by a dwarf. This must be Watts, Angela thought - who else would be this deep in the tunnels?

"Watts?" she inquired carefully.

"Yep, that's me," the dwarf replied. "I came down here looking for Gnome, after the tremors began shaking the village... but so far I've found no sign of him. There's just this hole where I would normally find him...""

Just then, they heard what sounded like a low growl from a crack in the stone wall, and another tremor vibrated through the cavern.

"D... did you hear that? I'm outta here!" And with that, Watts ran between them, fleeing the cavern.

The rumbling grew closer. Duran unsheathed his sword, and readied himself. Angela gripped her staff tighter as they felt the cavern shudder.

Without further warning, the left side of the cavern exploded in a shower of rocks. Angela instinctively covered her face.

As she looked up again, she saw a creature unlike any other she had seen before appear. It resembled an anteater in form, but its body was covered in tough, pointed protrusions.

Duran was already running in to attack the thing. Flinching from the flailing sword, it seemed hesitant to enter the cavern; being greeted by a swordsman was obviously more than it had bargained for.

She watched Duran as she sat back, forming her plan of action. His sword was occasionally able to slide between the spines, and she saw blood dripping as his sword slashed deep into the thing's body. But more often, it clanged uselessly against the creature's armor.

Nevertheless, he seemed to be making progress until, with a roar, the thing jumped forward with incredible force. It was just luck that Duran had stepped out of the way at that moment, avoiding a direct charge by the creature. The impact of its landing knocked Angela off her feet, and she grabbed onto the wall to steady herself.

Obviously, her staff would be useless. It was time to test how good she was with her new magic. This was not a handful of rabites in the forest.

She let the power of Mana fill her, and concentrated again on forming the holy balls of light as she had earlier. But instead of releasing the spell, she held onto it for as long as she could, feeding her mental energy into it as she felt it growing within her...

And, when she thought she was filled to bursting, she released.

The now-familiar balls of light appeared in a swirl around her, but they were bigger and brighter than before, and as they rushed towards their target, she saw they were faster too. The spell slammed into its target with so much force that the monster was hurled back against the wall of the cavern, letting out a squeal. It slumped there for a moment, and she saw a number of its armored spines had broken off, exposing raw skin underneath.

But just as she thought they had gained the advantage, it rose to its feet again and turned to face them. She braced herself, wondering if it was going to charge as before.

Instead, it seemed frozen for a moment. Angela didn't understand until she began to sense the resonances of Mana through the cavern.

"Watch out!" she yelled to Duran. "This thing is using magic!"

That was all the warning they had before razor-sharp shards of gemstones began to hail down through the cavern. Angela ducked behind a large rock and crouched down, avoiding most of the rain, though she did feel a tug as one of the shards hit the trailing edge of her cape and tore through it. Looking at the cut, as clean as if done by a knife, she shuddered to think what it could have done to her skin.

Duran, out in the open, had no chance to run, but he covered his face and head with his gauntleted hands and forearms. The stones _clanged _harmlessly on his armor. He held still, waiting for the rain of death to end.

Apparently, faced with a magic user, their adversary had decided to fight fire with fire. Or Light with Earth, as the case may be.

Duran ran back towards the creature and resumed his attack. With the damage done to its spines, he was able to slash more effectively; it seemed to be moving slower as well. "Angela! Can you do that again?" he yelled.

"I don't know if I can make it that strong!" she called back. He probably didn't realize that casting a spell was as exhausting as a physical attack. But damned if she wouldn't try, as she repeated the spell, again and again. She couldn't reproduce the raw power of her first attack, but the repetitive barrage was slowly wearing down the creature, with Duran's attacks becoming more and more effective.

Unable to avoid Duran's persistent assault, the creature momentarily withdrew. This time, Angela and Duran were prepared for what came next.

But instead of the hail of jewels, they felt the ground shake beneath them. The earthquake grew stronger and stronger, the roar deafening, and rocks began to shake loose from the walls, bouncing and tumbling towards them.

They could not shield themselves from _this_; instead, they ran from the boulders, into the protected cavern from which the monster had originated. The two pulled against the walls, adrenaline surging and Duran's eyes as wild as she felt her own were.

"Finish it, Duran!" Angela urged. "If it casts that spell in this cavern, we're dead!"

Duran nodded, his eyes focused on the beast, a grim look on his face.

The creature, obviously not expecting them to have avoided that attack, cringed away. Angela saw it tensing for a charge, and was about to warn Duran, but he hadn't missed it. He quickly executed a combination move, slicing first into the left foreleg, up the shoulder, then as the monster flinched away, he deftly cross-slashed across its neck.

Blood spurted out of the opened vein, as the creature's lifeblood drained out of it. Angela walked up to stand at Duran's side as they watched it breathe its last; his energy drained as well. Despite the spells she had thrown, he had still taken on the bulk of this fight; her magic was not yet strong enough that she could have defeated the creature alone. She hesitantly put an arm around his shoulders to steady him. It was a measure of his tiredness that he did not straighten up, but instead gratefully leaned against her.

"Are you two alright?" They heard the voice of Watts approaching the cavern. Angela had figured he would have been miles away by now.

Stepping in, he looked at Angela and Duran, slightly battered but still standing. "That was the legendary Jewel Eater, who is born only every few centuries in the Gemstone Valley to the west. What's the world coming to when Gnome is missing, and Jewel Eater comes out of hiding?"

"Hey, who's talking about me?" came a cheerful voice from above.

Bouncing down the slope into the main area of the cavern was a sprightly, dwarven creature.

At his (well, it appeared male) arrival, the Fairy emerged to greet him.

"Gnome!" the sprite called happily. "This, friends," she announced to Angela and Duran, "Is Gnome, the Elemental Spirit of Earth."

"Why, hello, pretty lady!" the one spirit greeted the other.

Watts fell to his knees and prostrated himself on the ground.

"Oh, do quit that, Watts, it's really not necessary." Watts started at being addressed by name. "The Jewel Eater was siphoning off my energy through the Mana Stone, but it's all okay now."

Turning to the Fairy, he adopted a more serious tone. "I feel the Mana disturbances too. Will these two really be able to claim the Sword, and set things to rights?"

"The girl is the one who holds my bond. Her Mana strength is still juvenile, but her potential is great. The boy has proven himself a strong warrior, and has been a great help. I think they both will have the strength we need, once they receive the Gift of Mana."

The "girl" in question wasn't sure to be insulted or complimented. Floating over to her, Gnome seemed to look not just into Angela's eyes, but into her very soul. She found the sensation disconcerting. "I see what you mean," he finally said. "Well, it will take all of us together to open the gate to the Holyland for these humans, so we had better get going."

With that, Gnome faded from view, but the warm sensation she felt inside told Angela the spirit was still with them.

--

As the cave grew quiet, Watts looked at them in wonder. "Humans, you must really be something, for Gnome to honor you this way. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Duran and Angela looked at each other – they were starting to think the same, he thought - before he spoke up. "Well, actually..." he began, relaying briefly the story of the fallen bridge. Angela looked grateful that he left out the part about her death warrant.

Watts listened to their tale with a serious look. "We can create a new tunnel to Forcena, but it will take a few days. We don't usually create new passages so large, but in this instance we'll make an exception. In the meantime, you can enjoy the hospitality of our village."

Duran cursed under his breath at the delay, and though he knew Angela would be frustrated as well, she lightly put a hand on his forearm. Her touch was strangely calming, and after the night with her in Maia, brought up all sorts of other thoughts as well. A few days in her exclusive company might not be so bad.

In any case, there was nothing to be done except go along with it, until they found themselves, four days later, back in the caves, watching Watts and his helpers laying the final set of explosives.

With a _boom_, rocks tumbled down, and suddenly they saw the first sunlight they had seen in a week.

"Welcome," Watts said with a flourish, "to the Forcenan Highlands."


	9. Grasslands Capital Forcena

**9. GRASSLANDS CAPITAL FORCENA (ANGELA)**

Angela watched as Duran breathed in the air of the hills surrounding his homeland. It was refreshing to be out in the open again.

His mood brightened considerably, as he told her how this area was nicknamed the "Molebear Highlands" after the proliferation of the hedgehog-like creatures there. He narrated the story of the Gemstone Valley to the west, from whence the Jewel Eater had come, and described the walls shining in a multitude of colors. He even joked he would pick the gems she liked best out of the walls for her, to put in her hair.

Duran was not a joking guy, and Angela slowly realized that his buoyancy made a thin cover over fear and worry, which only became thinner as they came closer to Forcena. She thought he must have been very concerned with the rumors of the Altenan invasion of Forcena; they had not had current news in a while.

The evening of the second day, he asked, hesitantly, to make love to her. She had spent her time in the Dwarf Village gleefully wearing down his resistance to her advances, until he responded her just as enthusiastically; but now, she wasn't sure what surprised her more, his tentative questioning, or the tender words. She thought she would be irritated by his vulnerability, but she found herself saying yes, and somewhere in the closeness to her, he seemed to lose his fear.

It was the middle of the third day when they crested a woody slope to look down on the city of Forcena below. Something seemed terribly wrong.

Angela heard a vague din, the same as she had heard across the lake from Astoria, the night she found the Fairy.

The sounds of war.

Duran had heard it too, and suddenly went tearing down the slope towards the city gates, standing open. Angela had no choice but to chase after him.

--

Angela recoiled in horror as they entered Forcena to a scene of chaos. This couldn't happen, she thought as her heat sank, she couldn't let Duran's homeland turn into another Astoria! Worse still, she recognized the livery of her own country. The rumored invasion of Forcena by Altena had begun, and they had the bad luck to walk into it.

Her loyalties were divided; could she really attack her own people, if she could not find a way to stop the bloodshed? She certainly couldn't protect them, if they were determined to fight.

"We've got to stop this before there are any more casualties!" she shouted to Duran above the ruckus.

"Let's go check on the King! He'll be their primary target! Maybe we can stop the invasion right there!" Duran yelled back.

It was hard to run through the town past the Altenan wounded, people she might have known. She tried not to think about it, though tears came unbidden to her eyes. Duran must have felt the same, seeing fallen knights all around him. Unless they could stop this, she could not save her people without hurting his. It stung her to realize they were of two opposing sides.

Duran's sense of responsibility to his liege lord had obviously taken over, and he entered the castle with a look of single-minded determination on his face. Koren's arsenal had obviously extended to include creatures corrupted by foul Mana, and monsters dogged their every step towards their goal, but Duran whacked them out of his path with almost scornful swings of his sword.

Angela hurried to keep up with him before he lost her far behind, she not being as well-acquainted with the castle. Shortly they burst into the throne room, where an unpleasant surprise awaited her.

Koren, the Wizard of the Red Lotus himself, was facing off against King Richard.

"_Stop_!" Duran yelled, brandishing his sword.

Koren turned around with a look of annoyance on his face. "Heh, I remember you, kid. You were the stubborn one... and from the looks of it, the only one who survived."

The look on his face turned to surprise, however, followed by a smirk, as he noticed Angela bringing up the rear.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. Of all the people in the world, I never though I'd see you here, Angela. Wait till your mother hears about this! Richard, next time you won't be as lucky!" And with a swirl of his scarlet cape, and a flash of light, Koren was gone again.

"_Wait_! Coward! Come back and fight!" Duran shouted, gesticulating with his sword, though it was largely an empty gesture at this point. Sword waving finished, he turned back to Richard. "My lord, are you alright?"

"Yes, Duran, thank you," the King replied. "I sent my Knights of Gold to defend the castle gates, but then that... wizard... came right through the wall. It appears he was unprepared to deal with swordsmen, however strong his magic."

_Or perhaps he didn't want me caught in the crossfire_, thought Angela. Maybe he meant to keep her alive after all, though she had no idea what he would want with her now.

"But I'm glad to see you have returned to us safely, Duran," Richard continued. "How did your travels go? And who is the young lady you bring with you?"

Angela interrupted at that point. "Sire, I am Princess Angela, of Altena." Briefly, she wondered if being Altenan would count against her, despite having arrived with Duran.

"Princess... ?" Richard said, looking curiously at her.

"Your Majesty... surely you do know my mother, the Queen of Reason?"

"Yes... Valda and I have met before..." Strange, king or not, few people referred to her mother by name; she certainly had enough titles to choose from. "But I hadn't heard she had a daughter... Tell me, Angela, how old are you?"

"Nineteen," she said, pulling herself up as straight as possible. Suddenly, her age sounded rather childish, especially with the slightly paternal gaze with which he was looking at her.

Standing, Richard walked over to her and cupped her chin gently in his hand. "Yes... I see it now. I'm surprised I didn't recognize it sooner. You have the beauty and presence of a queen..." And in a quieter voice, he said, almost to himself, "And I think, the bravery of a king as well."

Angela had a funny feeling about this. Especially since she knew what type of man her mother liked. Tall, well-built blond kings of Forcena would be high on that list.

The Fairy had politely waited until that particular bonding moment was over, and then emerged to add her two cents. "Your Highness! Please! We are looking for the Mana Stones! Duran tells me you know where they are." It seemed surprising that the Goddess's messenger herself did not know, and Angela wondered if there was some divine politics involved between the Fairy and the Elementals.

"A fairy?" Richard blinked. Angela thought perhaps her presence had been enough surprise for the king for one day, but he recovered quickly. "I was accompanied by a fairy myself, when your father and I, Duran, killed the Dragon Emperor." The flinch was only in Duran's eyes, occupied as he was with maintaining the proper forms in front of his king, but Angela caught it. "But that fairy died at the hands of the Dragon Emperor... so this must be another fairy, and the world is in danger once again."

"We've found the spirits of Light and Earth," the Fairy continued, "but we don't know where to go next."

Richard was all staid regality once again. "Your next stop should be to find the Wind Spirit, Jinn. The others are located in hidden spots and enemy territory, but you should be able to make it to Jinn without encountering too much trouble from the Navarre raiders.

"When you return here with the blessing of the Wind Spirit, then I will tell you where the rest are, but I would not have you endanger yourselves further until then. He lives in the Corridor of Wind, in Rolante. I hear the Maia port is temporarily closed for fear of conflict with Jad, but the nearby city of Byzel still operates ships to Palo, the port city of Rolante.

"Duran. My Princess. Good luck. The Wind Spirit's blessing will make you stronger for what lies ahead." Duran bowed, and Angela nodded her head respectfully, royalty to royalty. Richard called for servants to show them to guest quarters.

--

Maybe it was just being back home, or maybe it was the freeing of the castle of Forcena from the invasion of her people. Whatever the cause, Duran was more relaxed than she had seen him before.

In his luxurious quarters offered by the king of Forcena - for some reason, she had heard him tell Richard not to tell his family he was here - that night he was more passionate than ever. Not that he ever lacked in that regard; for a man who didn't talk much, he certainly knew how what to do with his body.

Angela was used to pursuing attractive men, teasing them, catching them, discarding them. When the passion burned out, she moved on without a second glance. Altenan women had earned their reputation for a reason.

Oddly, she wasn't getting tired of Duran, even after a couple weeks of being in his continuous company. He was a good guy, all things considered; she hadn't minded the travel with him at all.

He rolled over to put an arm around her, nuzzling her amethyst hair, his favorite part of her - well, one of them, anyway. "Angela," he murmured. "I really like you, and I hope we're together for a while."

Well that killed her sex buzz right away. Her eyes shot open and she stiffened slightly before catching herself; it was definitely bad bedroom protocol to shoot down a comment like that.

Fortunately, he seemed content to have provided this revelation, and didn't expect a response from her. She had thought she and Duran were of the same mindset, together only for the moment. She didn't want him to start falling for her, of all things.

Damn.


	10. Into Conquered Territory

**10. INTO CONQUERED TERRITORY (DURAN)**

Waking up next to Angela in the Byzel Inn was nice, definitely. Especially after another few days of sleeping on the hard ground on the return trip from Forcena. Duran was able to allow himself a few minutes to relish the feeling before his mind wandered to the mission at hand, once more.

Reluctantly, he gently shook Angela until a "mmmmmmm" escaped her. "Angela, it's time to go to Palo." That opened her eyes for a minute, before she shut them again and burrowed under the covers. So much for morning-afterglow.

Well, he had done the best he could to wake her. He got up and dressed, heading downstairs to organize breakfast and give Angela a few more minutes to admit she was awake. Fortunately, by the time he had breakfast set on their table, Angela had arrived, back to her usual presence.

They found themselves within the hour on a ship for Palo.

They had already heard the news of Navarre's takeover of Rolante. The news of the "Castle That Never Fell" finally falling had been on everyone's tongues, even before Angela and Duran knew they would be going there. Still, they were in for a surprise when, stepping off the boat, two days later, they first saw the troops that had conquered the castle.

--

Angela tried not to stare at the Navarre troops that wandered through the town of Palo. Duran had taught her a little of the Navarre military structure on their sea voyage, though Navarre being a guild rather than a true kingdom, "structure" was pushing it.

She could see the Rangers, strutting around but causing little trouble, while the Ninjas lurked in the shadows in deadly silence. They used the ranking names casually, even for those who did not receive the Gift from the Goddess herself. That felt like cheating, to her. Something about the speed and stealth of the Ninjas reminded her of Hawk. Well, he was from Navarre, after all, he had probably gone through the same training. Among the hushed populace of the town, she even saw a merchant cat, of the Nekos, a race which did frequent business with Navarre.

The energy that hung over the town was foreboding. It was not as restrained as Jad - the Navarrians were not as violent as Beastmen, after all - but there was definitely tension in the air.

--

Duran thought Angela was crazy when she suggested going to the pub first. He tried to remind her what their goal was, to find the Wind Spirit.

"Do you know where he is?" Angela responded. "We need clues, and a pub is the best place to find them. All kinds of people go there."

Duran couldn't argue with her. When she wasn't angry over something, her logic was infallible. It was evening, anyway, they couldn't do much else.

After asking directions, they found the entrance to the underground pub, somewhat concealed underneath the main street. Crossing the threshold, they found themselves in a dark, windowless room. It matched the atmosphere of the rest of the town perfectly.

The barkeep, a woman, was leaning over one side of the U-shaped bar, talking to a woman in a full-length olive green cloak. Something about the golden hair peeking out of the hood tugged at Duran's memory.

He motioned to Angela to sit at the base of the U. Trying to appear nonchalant, he opened his ears, but all he could pick out was "mountain... garden... cave..."

"_Hey_! Where's my whiskey!" yelled the Ranger to their left.

"Coming right up, sir!" the woman called. She turned back to the cloaked woman, who gave a quick nod and moved to depart.

Duran's eyes followed her to the door. While the bartender met the alcoholic needs of the Navarrian, he hastily summarized what he had seen to Angela. Including the tinge of familiarity.

The woman behind the bar finally approached the two of them. "What can I get you, my lord and lady?"

"Uh, two of your house wine," answered Duran. Up close, he examined her with interest. Her blue hair was a color seen only in Navarre, but her revealing barmaid's outfit only emphasized that she was possibly the buffest woman he had ever seen.

"I think she's an Amazon," whispered Angela. Duran had reached much the same conclusion. It was too simple to assume they had all looked for alternative jobs once the castle fell; something was definitely up.

Bringing back a crisp mountain white, which was in fact quite refreshing, the barmaid looked closer at them. "You're not from around here." _Nor are you one of the invaders, _her tone said, _so who are you?_

Duran racked his brain for a quick lie, but Angela saved him. "I'm a junior magician from Altena, here to study wind magic. This is my cousin, my mother was worried about me coming here alone, with the Navarre raiders and all."

The barmaid barked a laugh. "Well, they won't bother a student here. Past forcing us the acknowledge their _conquest_" - her eyes seemed to glint angrily at the word - "they pretty much leave us alone."

Once they had been deemed no threat, the barkeep was open enough with them, giving them all sorts of background on the Rolante conquest. Apparently the winds that had protected the castle had stopped, and the raiders had used previously-unknown magic, a strange sleep spell, to put the castle to sleep. As the ninja entered the sleeping castle, an assassin had stolen into the heart of the castle and killed the king.

"But there was a heir, right? A princess." Angela added. Trust her to remember her political science lessons. "What became of her?"

A silence. "She was not captured or killed, and that is all that is known for sure," responded the woman.

Duran did not want to push the issue, feeling they had hit a dangerous spot. "Well, Anny," he said, using the alias Angela had once told him about, "we should probably go see about our rooms at the inn." Angela, catching his meaning, nodded.

But before they left, she wished the barmaid goodbye. "I'm sorry, I never caught your name," she said, with a princess's politeness, for once.

"Eliza," the woman replied.

--

Angela was fully in agreement that the snippets of conversation they had heard were worth investigating. Eliza had told the truth; as obvious foreigners, they experienced no trouble from the Navarrians, and they retired to the inn for a surprisingly restful sleep. That night, the two only slept, collapsing exhausted into their twin beds, and the next morning, after a brief replenishment of supplies, they began to climb the mountain.

Oddly, Angela seemed to be handling the climb more easily than Duran. She hopped from rock to rock, using her staff to steady herself, while Duran struggled slowly behind her. His strength let him wear that armor across flat ground, and even fight in it, but this steep mountain climb was much more intense than the highlands near his home.

Rather than the slow ground creatures they had previously dispatched with ease, Needlebirds flapped at them, rushing quickly out of Duran's sword swings. Angela's magic soon became their dominant attack; the birds seemed especially vulnerable to the diamond missile spell used by Jewel Eater, which Gnome had readily taught her.

Eventually they came to a fork in the road, the left path continuing up the hill, while the right path led across a suspension bridge. Looking at Duran, who was putting on a good face while barely holding up after a half day of armored mountain climbing, Angela suggested they cross the bridge. Duran nodded, gratefully. They veered right, and after knocking out the latest round of birds, Angela stopped on the bridge and looked around. She caught her breath.

"Look," she said to Duran, coming up behind her.

The view was astounding. She could see past the mountains to the sea beyond, and to the south lay what appeared to be the Navarre desert. If she used her imagination, she thought she could see the Altena snowfields to the northwest.

And they were only halfway up the mountain. Forget the legendary defenses and copious natural resources, the view alone was reason enough to found a kingdom up here.

The two stood together for a long moment, indulging the feeling of being on top of the world. Angela turned to stare into Duran's eyes. Their gaze held, until he got a strangely romantic look, and opened his mouth as if to say something.

Suddenly frightened, Angela turned and began to stride towards the far end of the bridge, and an opening in the rocks beyond. A small natural tunnel sheltered a stone statue of the Goddess, then opened up to a hillside with trees surrounding a green meadow full of colorful pink wildflowers at the top.

Was this their destination, she wondered? The conversation on which they had eavesdropped told them only to go up to the mountain meadow. Too bad it appeared to be a dead end. What had the two women been referring to?

"Where should we go next?" Duran posed the question to her.

Angela hesitated, uncomfortable being without an answer. "Well, maybe, if we keep looking here, we'll find some clues." With no better ideas, she stepped forward into the meadow.

The flowers certainly were beautiful. Something about being up here, smelling the fresh air, seeing the flowers, made all her cares slip away. She felt almost euphoric, positive, as if everything was going to work out. She looked back at Duran with a smile on her face. _What a wonderful guy he really was, _she thought, and motioned to him to come closer to her. But he frowned back at her, before entering the field of flowers himself.

Wait... the flowers... the flowers!

Duran reached her side just in time to catch her from falling, as her eyes rolled back into her head and blackness took over.

--

Angela opened her eyes to see the roof of a cave above her. Groggily, she shook her head to clear the fog. She turned her head to the left and saw Duran in another bed next to hers, she apparently having regained consciousness before him. She had also been affected by the flowers first; maybe it was a time-sensitive thing, her brain suggested, the thought half-formed as clarity crept back. Well, based on the comfort of the surroundings, they weren't captives, at least.

She pushed against the bed with her hands, and forced herself to sit up... putting her face to face with a blond, toned woman holding a spear. Recognition tickled, and she recognized the woman as the one talking to the bartender in Palo - Angela had briefly glimpsed her face as she left. Only, here she was in leather armor, holding a brutal-looking spear as if she knew how to use it.

_Amazon_, thought Angela. The woman could be nothing else.

"You're awake?" the woman asked. Girl, Angela revised; she suspected the Amazon was younger than she herself was. "Eliza told me you were foreigners, I didn't expect to find you up here."

"W... who... where..." was all Angela could manage to squeeze out, shaking her head as if the haze would clear faster.

The girl put one hand behind Angela's back to help support her. "This is Rolante's secret hideout. We've gathered the remaining troops from the Amazon army here, to retake the castle. I am the princess of Rolante, Lise. Our kingdom was attacked and conquered by Navarre's forces. I thought I was the only one alive... My younger brother, Elliott, was kidnapped, and I was looking for him when I went to the Priest of Light, who told me that my people had survived. My Amazon sisters established this base here, where the sleep flowers grow to protect it. I might have jailed the two of you, had I not recognized this one - " she jerked a thumb towards Duran - "from Jad."

Following Lise's gesture, she saw Duran was sitting up, though he looked as out of it as she had, felt, only minutes before.

"Ah... yes... the weapons shop..." mumbled Duran.

Angela, meanwhile, felt her brain begin to chug along again. "Wasn't there a Princess Rieszella? Your sister?"

Lise blushed slightly. "Well... that's me... but it's only my formal name, and I don't use it in front of my troops..."

"A royal name, then?" Angela surmised. "My mother always said she needed an intimidating name to be Queen."

"Wh... who are you?" the now-perplexed Lise asked.

_Slick, Angela, _she thought_, way to remain incognito._ But Lise had already been so open with them that she instinctively trusted her. "I'm Angela, Crown Princess of Altena, although I'm not so popular at the moment -" she grimaced; the long explanations could wait until later - "and he is Duran, a fighter of Forcena."

Lise inclined her head respectfully, but no curtsy, one royal to another. "I am honored, Princess. What brings you here?"

"We came here looking for the Wind Mana Stone... do you know anything about it?"

"Yes. that's in the Corridor of Wind, on the western side. But there are wind statues guarding the entrance. You might not be able to get in..." Lise paused thoughtfully for a moment. "I'm sorry, I must leave you now," Lise apologized. "We are undergoing a strategic meeting to retake the castle. I hope to talk to the two of you more later." Turning, she left Angela and Duran by themselves in the room.

Angela watched Duran shaking himself back to consciousness. She was feeling almost fully alert herself by now, so she knew he would be back to normal momentarily. "We should see if they'll let us join their meeting. If the Rolantish don't know the way to the Mana Stone of Wind, who will?" By way of response, Duran climbed out of bed and began buckling on his armor, neatly stacked at the foot of the bed. Angela had only to don her cloak and pick up her staff.

The Amazons did not block their entry into the meeting room; apparently, they truly were guests, not a threat. Angela was grateful for that not-so-small blessing. She and Duran entered in time to hear Lise say, "So, how are we going to get the castle back?" Armored Amazons stood at attention along the walls, and a frail old man sat beside Lise at the table.

"We'll need the Wind Spirit's help to restore the wind to the castle. Without the defense of the winds, the castle will vulnerable all over again."

"Then I will have to head into the Corridor of Wind to find him," replied Lise.

"But Miss Lise! It's dangerous to go alone! With your brother missing, we can't lose you as well!" spoke up one of the Amazons.

A sad look crossed Lise's face. Angela decided now was the moment to speak up. "We'll go with you."

Lise snapped to attention, surprised by the interjection, but quickly her expression cleared. "This is our fight. I can't ask you to help."

"Oh Goddess!" snapped Angela. "I have to get inside that cave! Don't be so stubborn! This is our fight too! And besides, you're going to need all the help you can get! You lead us to the Stone, we'll help you take the castle!"

Once of the Amazons, a younger girl, called out. "Miss Lise... Your return has raised our hopes... Please don't leave us!" Lise looked torn.

Angela was losing patience, although she did find it impressive how much the Amazons loved their leader. It was something to aspire to. "Well, Duran and I need the Wind Spirit's help. We'll bring him back to help you, but we're not waiting around anymore."

Lise straightened. "I'm going with you," she said, in a tone that brooked no argument. Outcry broke up from the Amazon committee, but she turned to them and they silenced readily. "Sisters, I will leave in order to find the guardian of our kingdom. I am not leaving you, for I shall be with you in spirit, and Goddess willing, I shall return with the power to save Rolante."

Her little speech was quite effective, as cheers rose from the gathered Amazons. Angela was much impressed herself, so much so that she did not realize that, in fact, Lise had never asked for permission to go with them. But with the admiring way Duran was looking at her, maybe Lise had just assumed acceptance. In any case, it was too late to argue, not with a host of fierce women in front of her.

"Besides," she added, turning to Angela and Duran, "Only I know the secret to getting in the Corridor of Wind."

Had Angela uttered such a statement, she would have been quite smug about it, but Lise showed no such inclination; she was just making a statement of fact. She seemed quite genuine in her desire to help.

"Lead the way, Lise," said Duran.


	11. Corridor of Wind

**11. CORRIDOR OF WIND (ANGELA)**

The climb up the second half of the mountain was significantly easier, with three of them to fight off the accumulated monsters. By evening, they had reached another bridge, and thankfully what appeared to be the top of the mountain.

"That bridge leads towards Rolante…" Lise explained, a wistful look creeping across her eyes. "We're not ready to go there yet…"

Opposite the bridge there was a cave. "The Corridor of Wind," the Amazon announced. Determination replaced sadness on her face, and she strode towards the entry.

Duran followed quickly enough, Angela creeping behind, trying to take it all in. Before the trio was a long staircase hewn out of the rock, leading them ever higher up the mountain, the weight of the surrounding rock seeming to press on her. Her companions did not seem to notice. She distracted herself by observing the statue blocking the passageway in front of them, as tall as they were, in a primitive depiction of a human head.

Wordlessly, Lise went to the right wall. To Angela, the spots she touched looked no different from the rest of the wall, but with a groan, the statue pulled aside, creating an opening for them to pass.

The rest of the Corridor found them pretty much dependent on Lise's guidance. More and more of the ancient statues faced them, and from most emanated a strong wind that propelled them backwards. But at each obstacle, Lise was able to find the triggers to let them past, and slowly but surely, they made their way forward.

As they emerged at the top, the sun was setting, the light barely illuminating the path beyond the exit. Lise chose a small alcove to shelter them for the night, for which Angela was thankful; she did not relish the idea of navigating the ridges in the dark. Duran tried to make his bed by hers, but she shifted a few feet away, suddenly feeling very self-conscious at the thought of Lise seeing them close together; though, the way Lise was peering towards the mouth of the cave, she doubted the other woman would have noticed much of anything they did together. Duran finally took the hint, and Angela curled up into a ball to stay warm before finally nodding off.

Morning found them finally leaving the caves behind, and stepping out into a gale.

The dark caverns opened up onto a curved ridge, blocked east and west by high stone walls. But north to south, a high wind blew, and Angela and her companions had to brace themselves to avoid being knocked off their feet. Anxious minutes ticked by as Lise led them carefully through the treacherous passage.

Eventually, they completed the crossing and ducked into an opposing cavern. Expecting another dark interior, they were greeted by a diffuse cool light. Looking towards the source, Angela stared at the giant crystal, twice as tall as she was, floating eerily in midair.

"Is this... a Mana Stone?" she breathed. But in the depths of her memory, she knew she had seen one before.

"Yes... the Mana Stone of Wind," confirmed Lise. "I've been here twice before, once when my mother died, and second when I officially took over the Amazon army. I wasn't ready to class change then, though, I was only twelve."

"You know how to class change?" Angela was surprised.

"Yes, all the Amazon officers do, though only the best do so twice." Angela vaguely recalled thinking, growing up, that only mages were suited to receive the Gift of Mana, but it was obvious that was not the case. Apparently many nations were on to this trick.

"Can we do this now?" Duran interjected.

Angela didn't know what to say, but the Fairy, having been quiet for some time, chose the moment to reappear. "You can, Duran - if you think you're ready."

Lise blinked, but her calm composure was back quickly. "A fairy," she breathed. "I am honored to meet you, messenger of the Goddess." The fairy nodded in appreciation, and Angela realized she probably owed Lise quite a bit of explanation.

Duran stood gazing at the Stone. She could see the longing in his eyes, but she remembered the Priest's warning about emotions clouding their choice. "Are you going to do it, Lise?" he asked.

"No... not yet," she answered, warily. "I've been deprived of my family, my kingdom... I can't think straight about this. We usually test our Amazons extensively before we let them do this. I don't think I will be able to make the right choice without knowing Rolante is safe, however helpful the class change might be," she finished.

Duran's shoulders slumped after hearing Lise. "I guess I'm not ready, either," he said.

Angela had to admire Lise. She herself was tempted to jump right in, but Lise's well-reasoned speech had made her realize that she was not ready, either. She was the Princess of Reason, after all, she had to remind herself to think through things logically. Besides...

"Something about this Stone doesn't feel right," she told her companions. "Like it's contaminated, somehow."

She was still frustrated, though. Something else bothered her. "Fairy," Angela inquired, "when should we do this? How will we know if we're ready?"

"I can't answer that," the Fairy replied. "It's always a risk, but I think my three are going to make the right decision." Lise gaped slightly at her inclusion in the Fairy's statement. "Yes, you too, Lise, are one of us, now. You made your choice to come along, and the Goddess smiles on it." That seemed to soothe Lise. "But enough talk!" the Fairy continued. "I sense a spirit nearby!"

Angela could feel something herself, though to her it was undefined, merely a center of Mana beyond the exit of the cavern. The Fairy flitted forward, and the party followed.

Stepping out onto the cliff beyond, they were greeted by a peculiar sight. Near the edge, a round-bellied figure lay crumpled on the ground. Angela could sense the power from the creature, and realized they had found the Wind Spirit.

But standing over Jinn was a broad-shouldered knight, dressed in armor so black it seemed to absorb the light shining on the metal. His visor was down, offering no view of his face.

"Watch out! Something's wrong with Jinn!" cried the Fairy, as Lise started forward to check the guardian spirit. The black knight turned to face them, then, as he raised his sword, he and Jinn both shimmered away. Lise looked skyward for any sign.

Angela was the first to spot it. "Watch out, Lise!"

Lise wheeled around, spear at the ready, just in time to block the dive of the creature that came swooping down. "It's Tzenker, the harpy!" Lise shouted.

"That's bad, right?" Angela called back.

Duran was already running forward, sword in hand. Joining Lise near the cliff edge, they quickly flanked the creature, forming a deadly pincer surrounding it.

Angela stood back. Remembering how vulnerable the flying creatures on the mountain had been to her gem missile attack, she cast one at the creature, holding back on the force to avoid depleting her energy as she had done with the Jewel Eater. The attack was profoundly effective, shards raining down on the creature hovering in midair, leaving it squealing in pain. Duran and Lise alternated strokes and stabs before Tzenker could recover.

"Angela," shouted Lise, "Was that earth magic? Wind creatures are weak against earth!"

By way of response, Angela began casting her spell repetitively, sending an almost continuous barrage that gave Tzenker little time to recover. She was so focused that when the air blast came, it almost carried her over the edge.

The wind tore at her, no ordinary gale but a sharp wind that cut like a knife. Angela wrapped herself in her cloak, but the wind still attacked wherever it could reach open skin, scraping like a burn, until after what seemed like forever, the wind died down. Angela turned to check on her companions, just in time to see Tzenker grab Lise in her claws. Lise screamed, spear tumbling to the ground as she flailed frantically.

Angela heard herself scream too, terrified Tzenker would carry Lise over the edge of the cliff. Instead, Tzenker only flew a few feet above before dropping her burden. Angela saw Lise instinctively position her forearms and legs for the impact. She hit the ground with a _thud_, but rose to all fours immediately, and Angela knew, bruises or not, at least there were no bones broken.

Angela barely knew the girl, but seeing someone with her bravery being attacked renewed her determination. The spells she called now came harder and faster, and Duran had to put down his sword and step back to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. The stones driving towards the creature were wearing the harpy down, and directing one final spell, she aimed for the wing joints, squarely hitting her target.

It just so happened that Tzenker was hovering past the top of the cliff at the time, so as the spell hit, and her wings failed, she had that much further to crash down. Lise looked over the edge of the cliff; the sickening splat, and the expression on Lise's face, was enough to tell her what her magic had achieved.

The crumpled figure of Jinn shimmered back into their vision, and Lise turned her attention to him instead." Are you all right?" The round-bellied figure only groaned, eyes shut.

"Jinn, hang in there!" the Fairy spoke up. She flew over to the spirit. A touch from her, and Angela felt a small surge of Mana. Jinn's eyes flew open, and the spirit bounded up from the ground to float in front of them.

"Thank the Goddess! I'm saved! I was just minding my own business when that knight attacked me! He brought that harpy with him, and used some crazy magic to drain my energy into it!"

Angela turned to the others. "I suspect Mother and Koren are not the only ones trying to unseal Mana Stones." Her companions both nodded.

"I think as much myself," responded Lise.

"Jinn... " the Fairy began, turning to the spirit, "I am trying to lead these three to the Mana Holyland. Will you help me open the gate?"

"Are you kidding? After you saved my life? Anything you want, fairy!" Jinn did a somersault in the air, then disappeared. Angela felt the now-familiar feeling of the spirit's company.

She squinted towards the sun, now only a short distance above the horizon. "It's been a long day," observed Duran.

"And it's a bit of a way back down," Lise replied. Angela just slumped against the rock wall behind her, suddenly worn out completely. By mutual consent, they stayed that night on the top of the mountain, to begin the trek back down to the Rolante hideout in the morning.

The Fairy appeared as they settled down for the night, this time with an idea from Jinn for retaking the Rolante Castle. Lise listened, and nodded thoughtfully; Angela took note as well. They might not be able to manipulate the wind from inside the castle, but with the Wind Spirit on their side, they could do so from without.

--

Angela had become so used to only having Duran around - which was nice, really, when she was in a good mood - that she wasn't sure she was comfortable with having a third party along. Especially when the third member was a long-legged Amazon princess who was as beautiful as her (well, almost, Angela thought to herself).

Worse still, on the trip up to the Corridor of Wind, Duran had asked some questions about Lise's spear, and the two had gotten into an extended discussion about spear vs. sword techniques, the advantages and disadvantages, etc., and in the evenings they had a practice session. Hardly flirting, but it did leave Angela bored out of her mind.

Lately, she had found herself getting a little annoyed with him. She wanted his attention focused on _her_. He had pretty much let her know where his feelings stood, shouldn't he be spending his time trying to sweep her off her feet? After all, did he really think she was just going to fall for him just like that? Instead, he seemed to have given up completely. She thought she had him snared.

She couldn't figure out Lise either. She seemed completely immune to Duran's good looks, incredible as that seemed. She wasn't sure if Lise's sweet facade was real, or Lise had her own flirting game going on. Angela had seen the girl fight, and there certainly wasn't anything sweet about her then. And the way she talked about her kingdom, her kidnapped brother... there was definitely anger under that surface. Angela hadn't quite been able to bring herself to be friends with her yet.

--

Duran was happy to have Lise along. He loved spending time with Angela - well, especially the nighttimes, he thought to himself - but she definitely liked to keep a man on his toes. It was almost a quest in itself, looking for ways to keep her happy.

Lise was totally easygoing, however. She was almost like having one of his knight buddies with him all over again, but her sweetness was refreshing as well. She was tough, and he respected that, and he definitely understood her desire for revenge. The two of them had a lot in common. And with Lise, he didn't feel obligated to talk, she was fine just being in silence together.

He hadn't understood how an army could be composed of women, until he had seen her fight with her spear. Though strong, the female Amazons could not match the brute strength of Forcenan knights. Put a sword in Lise's hand, there would be no contest between him and her. But the use of a spear changed all that. Lise's spear was a brutal object, the blade sharpened on both sides like a double-edged sword. The length of the spear gave her leverage to increase the force of her swings. Her motions employed precise technique, the minimal armor she used gave her freedom of movement. Watching her drill, Duran stared in fascination. It was like watching a dance, but her knew it was a deadly dance.

He hadn't noticed Angela coming up as he and Lise sparred, the evening they had stayed inside the Corridor of Wind. When he finally saw her, she had wrapped herself tightly in her cloak and glared at him, daggers in her eyes as sharp as Lise's spear.

Angela didn't seem to share his high opinion of Lise - at least, she seemed rather wary of the girl. Well, Angela was so temperamental, it was hard to figure out what she was thinking. He usually just waited for her to tell him. Only, sometimes, by the time she was ready to tell him, she was already angry about it.

They hadn't been intimate since leaving Byzel. Duran had first assumed it was due to the lack of privacy, but this was something unexpected. He thought her look indicated jealousy; but she had started pushing him away even before then. Every time he tried to get closer to her, she froze up like the ice princess she was.

--

Lise appreciated her new companions, but as they journeyed back down the mountain, she often felt more comfortable being silent beside them. She had felt a resurgence of hope for Rolante after finding the Amazon hideout, but afterward her worries crept back in. She didn't feel entirely at ease speaking of her brother, or her murdered father - she felt these topics were too intimate for people who were still, to some degree, strangers to her.

She had taken to Duran immediately as a fellow warrior, and she knew he was seeking revenge against the man who had attacked his country. That, she could understand; she was just glad Forcena had been spared the disaster Rolante had suffered.

Angela, however, was another matter. She didn't make Lise feel unwelcome, exactly, but neither had she been terribly friendly. Lise wasn't terribly experienced in relations with the opposite sex - she had too much on her mind as is - but even she could tell that something was going on between those two, and at the moment it did not seem to be going terribly well. Surely that had nothing to do with her? Angela couldn't possibly consider her competition, could she?

Sighing, she turned her thoughts back to her kingdom.


	12. Revenge of Rolante

**12. REVENGE OF ROLANTE (LISE)**

It was the afternoon of the fourth day when the weary party finally returned to the Rolante hideout, their arrival welcomed by the elder and a contingent of Amazons. Lise was happy to see that Eliza had arrived from Palo in the meantime, the blue tint washed from her hair, and was now in her Amazon garb again, leading the troops. She ran up and hugged her old friend.

"It's good to have you back too, Lise. Were you successful?" Eliza asked, a broad smile crossing her face.

"Yes, we were able to find the wind spirit - and we know how to take the castle now," Lise answered. "We'll rest up tonight, and start our assault tomorrow."

Cheers rose up from the Amazon troops.

--

The Amazons celebrated same as any other soldiers, battle ahead or not, Duran noted. He found himself at the center of a group of boisterous women, laughing and passing him drinks. Apparently, he was a honorary Amazon for the night – until as the night wore on, a few of the women made increasingly bawdy comments to him.

One older woman suggested he and Lise try to see who could hold each other down the longest - and he had a feeling that she was not talking about wrestling. Duran felt a blush creep across his face. Good thing he had not seen Lise in quite some time.

He was having a great time. Until, he looked over, and saw Angela sitting against the wall, alone, arms crossed, eyes downcast. She looked like he'd never seen her before. She looked... sad.

Perhaps sensing his eyes on her, she turned toward him, and her face grew unreadable. Duran gently moved the Amazon next to him out of the way, and stepped towards her.

Angela stood up and, turning with a swirl of cloak, stalked out of the room.

Duran froze in mid-stride. She had never walked from him so openly before. Maybe it was over, but for the life of him, he couldn't understand why, when they were so close in Forcena, just a couple of weeks ago. He had thought he might be in love with her then.

But he had been wrong about women before, and Angela was not just a woman, but a magician and a Princess. He pushed it to the back of his head, and returned to the party.

--

Lise left the celebrations early. She knew the troops needed the release, who knows who might not survive tomorrow; but she was their queen, and she, at least, needed to remain clear headed.

Nevertheless, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She could hear the sounds of the party dying down, until the final Amazons fell asleep - or passed out, more likely. And still she was awake.

Restless, she climbed out of bed, pulled on her boots and a robe, and headed outside to the meadow. The Amazon on guard saluted her as she passed, and she acknowledged the woman with a nod.

The flowers were beautiful to look at, especially by moonlight. She had not been put to sleep during the Rolante attack, having been in the basement searching for her brother, and the sleep pollen had blown away by the time she reached the surface to find her castle being overtaken. Otherwise, who knows if she would have escaped alive. Perhaps it was the strength of the Amazons that had allowed most of them to wake up earlier than expected and flee, singly or in small groups; but those that did not wake up in time had their throats slit by the Navarre ninja.

Anger welled up in her at the thought. She forced herself to look back at the flowers. After meeting Eliza in Palo, she had used a secret mountain trail to get to the meadow quickly. The Amazons greeted her, and one of the first things they had done was to take her up to the meadow so she could develop the needed immunity. The experience was intense; she remembered the euphoria that had overtaken her as she lost consciousness, and being back among the flowers, she tried to remember that feeling of happiness, and hope. It would certainly help her now.

She heard footsteps behind her and instinctively whirled around, but it was only Duran.

"I thought you would have passed out with the rest of the troops," she said.

Duran shrugged. "I decided it was time to stop drinking when two sisters proposed marriage - to both of them."

Lise giggled. "Well, we do value strength in a husband. Maybe they thought you had enough for two." She motioned Duran to join her.

He sat very close. She could feel the warmth of his body, and his shapely arms and chest showed through the thin shirt he was wearing.

"I'm surprised Amazons would like a man like me," he told her. "I figured you had your men holed up somewhere knitting. The only man here is your advisor, Martyn."

"Not at all," she responded. "We believe that since the Goddess has the power to grant life or death, and since She gave it to women to give life, then it was women who should choose when to give death as well. We are well in contact with the other nations of the world now, but when Rolante first started encountering other countries, it was a huge surprise to us to see male soldiers.

"We never failed to recognize the strength of men, though. They are our rock, our defense. They make our weapons, our castles. We have the finest smiths, architects, and builders in the world. They're not here, because I told them to stay in Palo until we could retake the castle.

"And anyone in Rolante will pick up a spear, if they have to. Hundreds of years ago, they had to. Rolante is the naturally richest country in the world. Altena is richer, but they have used magic to make it so. Underneath these hills are gold, silver, salt, and coal."

Duran was silent as he pondered the way her society had developed, isolated on the top of a mountain.

"So what kept you up, anyway?" asked Lise, breaking the silence. "Your country is safe, and I don't think you're someone who would lose sleep over a fight."

"Well... not just that, but I'm starting to realize how much really we may have to deal with. The Beastmen are still out there, and I can't imagine Altena would give up so easily.

"And then... I never went to see my family in Forcena... even though they didn't expect me back... and other things..." Duran began to ramble as he arrived at more personal topics. Lise suspected one of those "other things" was named Angela.

She did not press him further. Duran trailed off, and together, they calmly sat in silence.

Duran stood first. "Thanks for the company," he said, and gave her a chaste peck on the cheek. Lise found that relieving; if he had expressed interest in her, she didn't know what she would have done. He was physically attractive, no one could miss that, but she really wasn't interested in _any _sort of relationship right now, and it would cause all sorts of complications if he was interested in _her_.

Perhaps a quarter hour more, and she herself felt her eyelids droop and left to go to bed.

--

Angela woke up after a couple hours of fitful sleep. She had been dreaming about Duran; she couldn't remember what, but it guaranteed he was the first thing on her mind when she woke.

She felt a little bad. Perhaps she hadn't treated him all that nicely; he didn't seem like he would intentionally hurt anyone.

Stepping out of bed, she tiptoed past snoring Amazons to his room. She knocked once, then again, with no answer. She put her ear to the door and heard no sign from inside.

Looking furtively around her, she carefully opened the door.

There was no one in Duran's bed.

Angela was afraid of where he might be. She walked a short distance down the hall and turned a corner to find a woman on guard.

"Amazon," she began hesitantly, "have you seen Duran?"

"Duran?" She looked puzzled. "Oh yes, he went up to the meadow with the Princess about half an hour ago."

Angela felt her stomach drop. She was afraid this would happen, she tried to tell herself she hadn't seen it coming. She didn't want Duran to get too close, but wasn't pushing him away supposed to inspire him to work harder to get her attention? Instead, he had wandered over to someone who hadn't worked at all to get his interest.

She ran back down the hall and, shutting the door to her room, threw herself down on the bed. Suddenly, she felt completely alone again. She tried to tell herself she really wasn't starting to cry.

--

Duran woke up raring to go for the assault on the Rolante castle. After all the fighting of monsters, it was refreshing to be fighting a proper battle for a change.

Sounds of battle preparations were all around him as he stepped outside his door, and in the middle, Lise stood, directing the troops with experienced efficiency. "Organize into bands of twelve! Leave at ten minute intervals! Meet at the bridge before the castle, hurry, hurry!" To the commander of the next unit to leave, she gave last minute instructions as to where her unit was to be directed.

Duran held back. He knew he, Angela, and Lise would be the last to depart. They had another job to do here first.

Speaking of, where was Angela? He saw her approaching, but her eyes were blank, and she wouldn't meet his gaze. _This is getting better and better_, he thought sarcastically. She seemed to have lost her wonderfully naughty spirit. He wished he knew how to bring it back, but there wasn't much he could do when she didn't want him near her.

Well, he hoped that they could both maintain focus for the attack today. As he saw the last few Amazons being given instructions, Lise signaled him across the room. It was time to go to the meadow.

With Martyn and a small group of Amazons - really, an honor guard for the uncrowned Queen, which is what she would be when she stepped into the castle today - they returned to the meadow of flowers. Angela gracefully stepped out into the field, and at her silent summons, the Fairy and Jinn appeared.

"Jinn, what next?" asked the Fairy.

"Just watch!" grinned the elemental spirit. The party members shifted slightly in anticipation.

They saw nothing happening at first, but then a gentle breeze rose up, shaking the flowers. The familiar smell of their pollen filled the air, the wind blowing it upwards. Had they not been immunized, the whole party would have been knocked out already. Jinn was gathering enough pollen to put an army to sleep.

Which of course, was the point.

The Fairy had told them that the Mana signatures on the Rolante castle indicated sleep _magic _had been used; the raiders would not be familiar with the flowers, the plant being native to the mountain. Nor did a magic spell immunize one to the real thing.

As the cloud grew thicker, and Duran heard a couple of sneezes behind them, Jinn suddenly brought up a sharp, chilling wind. He must have had to begin the wind all the way at the bottom of the mountain to get that force; there was the smell of the sea on it. The Amazons remained firmly at attention - King Richard would be jealous of these women's discipline - but Angela tried in vain to hold her cloak around her, the wind whipping around her legs and through her hair.

Lise looked north, towards Rolante, a look of wonder, and hope, on her face. He thought he knew how she must be feeling. Forcena had not been conquered, only attacked, and he still had struggled to maintain optimism, trekking through the highlands above.

The wind finally died down, and wordlessly, the small party began their own trek up the mountain. From where the Amazons had made their hideout, it was a three-hour hike up the hill, even for small parties; hence Lise spacing her troops to avoid bottlenecks in the rocky terrain. The resourceful Eliza had led the largest group early that morning to oversee preparations and organize the groups as they arrived up the mountain. Thus, by the time they arrived, an orderly force had already secured the ground floor of the castle, and Eliza met them immediately to brief Lise.

"Most of the troops were put to sleep, but a few seem to have obtained resistance. The main force cleared the area to the throne room, then we split according to plan to cover smaller areas. We have most of the living quarters covered by now. All we have left is..."

"The Tower," Lise finished for her. Eliza nodded. "I don't know what's up there, I have Amazons guarding the base in case any enemies arrive from that direction, but no one has gone up there yet."

"What's in the Tower?" Angela inquired. The capital letter was obvious, the way Lise had pronounced it.

"The Tower," Lise began, "is considered our most holy place. Its height makes us feel closer to the Goddess. But more than that, the Mana is especially strong there. Those who class change can _feel _the flows through there, increasing near the top.

"There is really no strategic use to occupy it; it has only one entrance and so can be easily cut off, as Eliza has already done. I don't expect to encounter many soldiers up there. But ever since finding out that the raiders used magic, I have been worried about what might happen there. Some of the survivors reported seeing a woman who appeared to be using magic with the ninja. If there is a strong sorceress up there, who knows how she could warp the Mana power... and that's where we have to go now."

"A sorceress... Funny, Navarre is known for stealth, not sorcery," mused Duran.

"They used to use all kinds of crazy magic, tree and moon magic that we never used in Altena," replied Angela. "Maybe they've rediscovered the advantage magic gives." Spoken like a true Altenan.

"Lise, if you're ready, I'll prepare troops to accompany you." Idly, Duran noted idly that none of the Amazons called her Queen, even though they respected her like one.

"No, Eliza. The tower halls are too small for more than a handful of people, it would just make things harder. The three of us will be plenty. Besides, if I'm right, Angela's magic will be more useful than the entire Amazon army near the top." Angela looked up at the mention of her name, and murmured thanks at the compliment. "Follow us in half an hour. The halls should be clear then, and if we've reached any problems, you'll catch up to us before it's too late."

With that settled, they joined the troops guarding the Tower door. "Ready?" asked their leader.

"Ready," nodded Lise. The three readied their weapons. The Amazon threw open the heavy door, and Lise jumped through, her spear in front of her, with Angela and Duran close behind.

"Monsters, everyone! Be careful!" Lise called.

"What the hell? What are these monsters doing here?" Duran shouted back.

"Maybe the ninjas keep them as pets," he heard Angela behind him. Slashing at a gremlin that popped in front of him, Duran allowed himself a small smile. That sounded more like the Angela he knew.

--

On the second landing, they were greeted by a surprise. There stood, not a monster, but a distinctly human man.

An attractive man, with scruffy lavender hair, more pale and silvery than Angela's own. She and Duran had met him before.

But Lise jumped ahead. "A Navarre soldier? You're going to pay for what you've done here!" Fury had enveloped her at the source of her anger standing right before her.

"Wait, Lise!" Angela cried. She saw Duran had grabbed her spear arm; strong as Lise was, Duran could definitely keep a grip on her. "We've met this guy! He helped us!"

Still with anger blazing across her face, Lise dropped her spear, a loud clang resounding as it hit the stone floor. "Well, Navarrese, what you have to say? It had better be good!"

"Hmph, thanks." The Navarrese in question seemed to have composed himself quickly, for someone who had just had a spear in his face. "I'm Hawk... I used to be one of them, but now they're after me! This isn't the work of the Thieves' Guild, I'm sure of it. There's a woman named Bigieu… I think she put everyone under a spell or something..." Hawk spoke quickly, convincingly, and Lise seemed to soften somewhat. "I'm here to stop her! She was responsible for my friend Eagle's death. She also put a curse on his sister, Jessica…" Pain suddenly crossed Hawk's face, and Angela wondered. "If Bigieu dies, Jessica dies as well... Please, if you ever meet Bigieu, don't kill her, just capture her... I know that sounds selfish, but.."

Well, Lise appeared to be moved by that impassioned speech. "I understand. I'm Lise, Princess of Rolante. As much as I'd like to avenge my father's death, I cannot kill an innocent girl. I don't know if I can, but I'll try to capture her."

"Yeah! I knew you would! I just want to _kiss_ you!" And Hawk did just that, throwing his arms around her. It was no small kiss, either. Angela looked at Duran to see the same look of incredulity across his face. Though really, Angela was a little jealous that Duran had never grabbed her in quite the same way.

Something tickled the back of her mind. Hadn't something had happened between Duran and Lise? Was Duran bothered by this strange man kissing her?

"What are you doing?" Lise demanded, pulling back from his embrace, but her tone wasn't as angry as Angela might have thought. After all, if she wanted to fight back, Angela felt confident that Lise would have. More, Lise seemed stunned that she hadn't.

"Oh, sorry! I suppose I got a little carried away! Well, I'll go ahead on my own now... See you later!" And Hawk was off and running, his ponytail flailing behind him.

The three were silent for a moment.

"Well," Duran said, "capture or kill, it doesn't change the fact that we still need to get to the top of this castle. Come on, let's go."

--

The Tower was not what Angela traditionally though of as a tower, in the sense of a column of rooms on top of each other. Instead, the path through the upper levels of Rolante zig-zagged between a series of rooms, each higher than the last, connected by slender open-air bridges. Angela could see where natural outcroppings of Mt. Rolante supported the treehouse-like structure.

Angela used earth magic on the flying creatures, as she had on the Needlebirds and harpy, and light magic on the rest. The phantom knights and gremlins who escaped Duran and Lise were easily demolished by the balls of holy light. Tougher were the ninja who seemed to pop out of thin air when they were least expected. Staring at them with soulless eyes, they fought with no sense of self-preservation. The fighters were starting to break a sweat with those, Duran and Lise struggling to avoid the ninjas' swirling blades to score a clean hit.

Finally, they reached what appeared to be the last bridge, as Angela could see nothing more above them. It crossed to a small turret. As they walked over it, Angela peered towards the bridges below, and the main castle, now looking quite tiny. Lise signaled a halt, and they stopped at the door to the room.

"The Goddess's throne room," Lise said.

Angela felt very uncomfortable. "There's something not right about the Mana up here."

"Only one way to find out," Duran said. He put his hand on the doorknob, then, checking to see if the girls were ready, he threw it open.

They stepped into a dark stone entryway. Angels decorated the arch to the stairs ahead, and the throne room beyond. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as the door closed behind them, until...

"Lise," she gasped. "The door is gone!"

Lise's eyes widened for a moment, but before she could say anything, Angela saw that the angelic carvings had turned to gargoyles. And where the arch had been, now stood the gaping maw of a gargoyle head.

Fires burst in its mouth.

"It's a trap!" Angela yelled.

"How do we get rid of it?" yelled Duran.

"I can't combat this level of Mana usage! It's been given life! We'll have to fight it like any other monster!"

That was all Duran needed to hear. Sword in hand, he sprang forward. As he swung, Angela noted that the stone had indeed become flesh, as his sword tore a long mark. The fires in the thing's mouth flared in anger, and Duran jumped back, grabbing his wrist where the sword had suddenly become hot.

Lise had the advantage of range, but her weapon's shaft was made of wood, so she was forced to confine her attack to the sides of the monster, safely out of the range of flames. Still, she dove to swipe as she could, but it was obviously not enough.

Angela thought quickly. The thing had been created out of stone, right? Maybe she could use her earth magic to break it apart. She wished she could use the earthquake spell that Jewel Eater had used on them, but she wasn't strong enough yet. She called the sharp gemstones down against the gargoyle.

It worked. Dozens of tiny cuts appeared. But instead of blood, they oozed out a viscous black substance. Angela had a bad feeling about this.

As the goo hit the floor, it began to shape into the form of smaller monsters - ghouls, werewolves, rabites. Suddenly they were outnumbered. Lise and Duran turned their attention to the small distractions. "Stick with the main enemy!" she yelled at the fighters. "I can attack all the smaller monsters at once with my magic, but I need your weapons to defeat the fireplace!"

At least she thought she could. Once Angela had discovered she could direct her magic, she had spent her time on the mountain working out how to spread her magic over multiple targets. It kept her mind off Duran.

Shaping the spell in her mind, she slightly altered the pattern she was about to lay out, and released. This time the spell took out all six of the shapeshifting creatures, who turned back into piles of goo before spreading out on the floor and disappearing. Angela felt suddenly immensely pleased with herself.

She didn't have much time for self-congratulation, however, as more of the black slime dripped onto the floor. At least she knew how to handle it now. This time, she included the gargoyle in the targets. In addition to wiping out the shapeshifters, the hit on the monster caused the flames to lower and cool. Not wasting a moment, Lise and Duran dove in and renewed their assault.

The fires in its mouth had gone down, but the creature itself began to glow a bright orange. Lise and Duran didn't need Angela to tell them that she felt a Mana surge, as all three of them dove for the floor.

It felt like the flames of hell were passing over them. Had they been standing, it would have fried them to ashes.

"We have to finish this!" yelled Lise. "I don't think we can handle that again!"

Duran had pulled back to a corner and was hastily unbuckling his armor. Of course. Even without direct contact with the flames, the burst in temperature would have superheated his armor. He would be out of this fight until he could get it off.

"It's up to us, Angela." There was nothing but raw determination on Lise's face. Angela was somewhat in awe of the fact that Lise had not yet shown fear.

At that moment, she decided, whatever Duran did or didn't do, she really liked Lise.

Angela knew the first attack was hers. She was about to use the same spell as before, but the Fairy whispered in her mind, "Jinn has something to tell you."

Well, it wasn't exactly telling, not exactly showing, but suddenly Angela felt a new pattern forming in her mind.

"I don't think that will affect its body."

"Not the body," she could hear Jinn's voice.

Lise was looking at her expectantly, not being privy to this silent conversation. Angela raised her hands and smiled at her companion reassuringly. She cast the spell Jinn had taught her.

The wind that appeared out of nowhere in the enclosed room headed straight for the fiery mouth. With a whoosh, the flames were blown out.

Lise dove in. With the flames safely extinguished, she could hit the vulnerable center. One, two, three long swipes and the face of the gargoyle was torn to pieces. That spear was quite a cruel weapon, thought Angela.

The room shook as the gargoyle turned back to stone and crumbled into pieces before them, its lifeforce gone, revealing an opening beyond. One of the rocks bounced over to hit Angela's right foot. She picked it up and examined it. Just stone, after all.

"There's still no door back," observed Duran.

"There must be the main adversary up ahead," Angela said.

"Well, there's only one way to go." Lise concluded.

They waited for Duran to put back on his armor. "By the way, what was that spell you used at the end?" Lise asked. "It must be very useful to control the wind like that." Of course she was interested, wind was a cornerstone of her country's defenses.

"It can be learned," admitted Angela, "but it takes years of practice. But the Wind Spirit just put it in my mind right now." As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how it sounded. Perhaps she _was _increasing her strength quickly.

"Wow," was all Lise could say.

--

Lise led the way up the stairs to the throne room only used by queens, and only for matters where they needed to feel the strength of the Goddess. As they climbed the ninety-nine steps, she could see that the torches were still lit, and she found that reassuring. If the torches had gone out, it would have been as if the Goddess herself had lost power.

On the other hand, if the room was dark, it would have meant no one was there.

She was ready to greet a powerful sorceress. But what she did not anticipate was the presence of two familiar-looking ninjas, ninjas she had seen the day her castle was stolen from her…

"_You_! You're the ones who kidnapped my brother! Give him back!" she cried.

The two looked at her as one, but had no chance to respond, before the man they had met on the lower levels dropped down between her and them - Hawk, she thought his name was - _The one who kissed so well_, said another voice. "Leave this to me," he said.

The ninjas ignored him. "A minor distraction. Let's go, Ben," said one.

"Bill! Ben! Don't you know who I am?" asked Hawk. Apparently not, as they shimmered... and somehow merged into one.

"They're using a spell, I don't recognize it!" shouted Angela from the back.

"It's an ancient ninja spell - Fusion! They'll be twice as strong, until you attack them enough times and they separate!" Hawk yelled back. He whipped out two vicious-looking short swords from his sleeves.

"I can help with that," came Angela's voice behind her, as the magician cast her wind spell, directed right at the ninjas (ninja? Lise wondered). They slammed against the wall, and for a moment, they slowed. First one, then two figures were seen hazily.

Duran ran up and cleaved the center of the image with his sword. Up jumped two ninja, one with a deep cut in his left shoulder, the other in his right, the injured arms hanging limply. Too bad they both appeared to be ambidextrous.

Lise was running towards them when suddenly a splash of water hit her in the face. Water? Was that the best they could do? But a moment later, her muscles felt like jelly, as if she had been climbing the Paloan cliffs all day.

"Jutsus!" Hawk yelled. His short swords were flying, catching one, then the other ninja. "It's ninja magic, it weakens your enemy!"

"So what do we do about it?" demanded Duran, who seemed to now be struggling under the weight of his armor.

"Just do your best!" said Hawk, who was doing better than anyone. His fighting technique was centered around speed, not strength, Lise noted - the same as their adversary - and it was the only reason her party had not been overwhelmed already.

Weak as she felt, she forced herself to join him in the attack, just in the nick of time - for the ninja Hawk was attacking suddenly charged him. He was quick as a shadow as he dove for Hawk, and a rapid combination of blows and slices that left Hawk flattened on the ground, wheezing.

Lise was suddenly filled with rage. Normally an honorable fighter, she stabbed the ninja in the back.

He screamed in pain. Odder still, his twin screamed too, and the wounds appeared on the other man instead. Both crumpled to the floor. Lise crouched beside one of the bodies, and was suddenly afraid. "Have we stained the Goddess's throne room with blood?"

"No," she heard, and felt Hawk's hand on his shoulder. How had he gotten up so quickly? "It's all part of the spell's protection. You would have to stab the other to kill them both, but as it is, they'll survive." Seeing Lise's relieved expression, his voice softened. "I'm glad too. These men were my friends once, whatever has happened to them now."

"Bravo, bravo!" came a voice, and applause from above.

Lise looked up the stairs to see a voluptuous woman with long yellow hair, dressed in a turban and desert robes. She stretched languidly over the throne. The Queen's throne. The throne from which her late mother had given Lise her first spear, the throne on which she would be crowned, the throne she would come to meditate on the Gift of Mana.

Despite her desire to shed no blood in this room, she wanted to stick a spear through this woman.

She started running up the stairs, but Hawk, grabbing the railing and vaulting over, was quicker, and was at the woman's side in a moment. "Bigieu! You're not getting away!" he cried, short swords flashing as he readied himself for a fight.

"Oh, you're still alive, Hawk?" laughed the woman. "I'm surprised you've evaded your death warrant for so long, with the price I put on your head."

"Who are you? And why did you take over Navarre and Rolante?" demanded Lise, arriving on the dais.

"I serve the Dark Prince, and that is all that need concern you."

"Not for long, you don't! This is for Eagle!" Bigieu raised one hand, and Hawk's blade stopped barely an inch from her neck. "Oooh, be careful with those sharp knives. Someone could get... killed!"

"The curse... Jessica..." Hawk lowered his blades, and his shoulders sagged.

"Hmmphh... I don't need this castle anymore. You can have it back!" And with these final words, Bigieu levitated herself up towards the ceiling, along with Bill and Ben, and disappeared.

--

Angela had been watching in silence through the exchange. With Bigieu gone, the quiet extended over the group.

Finally, she spoke up, anything to break the gloom. "Hawk," she asked, "how did you get here? The door was rigged to disappear when we walked through it."

Hawk did not respond, but she followed the roll of his eyes upwards, to where one of the stained glass windows high in the wall lay ajar.

Angela felt queasy. Crossing windy bridges was one thing, but to scale the wall of this crazy castle...

"You broke my window?" Lise asked, incredulous.

"No, breaking glass makes too much noise." Hawk grinned. "I just pried it out. It'll be easy enough to put back in, you just have to get someone to go up there."

They all looked back at the window. It was probably forty feet above where they were standing.

Lise sighed.

"So what will you do now?" asked Angela. Better change the subject from the window.

"I'm going to try and get the Sword of Mana, to break Jessica's curse. The Priest of Light told me it was that, or get Bigieu to break the curse herself... but since she's gotten away..."

Angela looked at Duran for consensus. There was a questioning look in his eyes; he left it to her to make the decision here. After a moment of consideration, she nodded. Duran picked this as his signal to speak up.

"Hawk," he began. "We're trying to get the Sword of Mana too. I think we all have our reasons for wanting to do so, and you seem like a resourceful fellow, so why don't you come along with us?"

Hawk looked first at Duran, then at Angela, obviously considering. Then, he glanced at Lise, who had been quite silent during this exchange. He turned back to them with a resolute expression on his face. "I think cooperation would be the wisest course of action."

--

Back in the "regular" throne room, Lise, wearing robes of royal green, addressed the collected Amazons. Duran, Angela, and Hawk stood beside her on the dais, in a place of honor.

"The castle is safe... I couldn't have done it without the help of these three. Thank you..." The audience cheered and rattled their weapons in honor.

After a moment, Lise raised her hand for silence. "But.. it won't bring back Father... Bigieu took my kingdom, my father, and my brother.. she will never be forgiven... Everyone... for my kingdom, I have decided to help find the Sword of Mana, and bring Elliott back home. I can only assume he is still in Bigieu's clutches, and I will find her if I have to fight her to the death myself. Until I get back, Eliza will command the army and Martyn will supervise bureaucratic matters. Please, respect them as you would me."

Hawk approved of her choices. They were respected in their own right, and they were both competent in their assigned spheres. Lise was as clever as she was fierce, he thought.

"Bigieu is manipulating the Navarre ninjas... what kind of monster is she?" shouted Eliza. Angry murmurs ran through the crowd.

Hawk spoke up. The Amazons' respect for Lise meant they had accepted him as a friend, despite his Navarre heritage. "Bill and Ben... They were good friends of mine. Now even my friends are under Bigieu's spell..." The Fairy had filled in the blanks for him, based on her reading of Mana residues; Angela could only sense spells as they were cast. "We will find the Sword of Mana, and cleanse the world of this evil." His charm apparently won over women with armor as well as without, as the crowd calmed down considerably.

Lise followed his speech. "Together, we will rebuild our kingdom. Rolante, restored to its former glory... that's the best revenge we could get."

The noise of the crowd drowned them out, but on the dais they could still hear each other. Angela whispered to Lise. "Is it alright for you to leave? What if they invade again?"

"We've reestablishes our defenses, and increased scouting parties. The Fairy says we should be immunized against sleep spells as well as sleep pollen - it's one of the unique features of the plant," Lise answered firmly. "They won't be able to use the same strategy again."

The ceremony ended with Lise formally welcoming them to the hospitality of Rolante, and servants came to lead them to guest quarters. The exhausted party had all agreed they could spare a couple of days before making the trek back to Forcena.

--

Her "relationship" with Duran was a mess, Angela knew. And she was over it. What did the man want from her anyway?

But Hawk. She remembered their first meeting, in Jad; she had definitely caught his eye then. If only she had not been so scared, so alone... she might have taken him with her to the inn that night. He was certainly attractive enough, and his secretive ways put just enough distance between them to keep things exciting.

That was the thoughts that ran through her head, the first night back in Rolante. She had peeped in his room to find he was not there, and now prowled by the moonlight flowing through the many windows of the Rolantic castle.

She didn't have long to wait. It was at the end of one of the long hallways that she spied her target, looking thoughtfully down the mountain below.

Angela swished slowly towards the Navarrese man, but she had no illusions that he had not sensed her presence. If he had not turned yet, it meant he knew who was there, and that she was not a threat.

Sure enough, he did not even tilt his head until she stood next to him. Even then, he did not speak, and she merely stood by his side, looking down at the panoramic view below.

When she took a step closer to him, he did not flinch away. She kept her eyes firmly focused outside, but her left hand reached for his right, and pulled it around her shoulders. She felt the arm tighten and pull her closer.

She didn't want to be the one to speak first, but he was so silent, he gave her no choice. "You're looking towards Palo," she whispered, her voice a feather's brush by his ear.

"And beyond, to Navarre." Hawk sighed. "This may be the closest I ever see it again."

"Perhaps that is one thing we have in common." As Angela uttered this, Hawk's eyes turned to gaze into hers. Angela was tall for a woman, but Hawk was still a few inches taller, and her head tilted back to look up at him now.

"A beautiful woman, trapped far from home," Hawk mused. He leaned in, and his lips met hers.

Her blood was running now, as she threw her hands around his neck to return the kiss. He was not shy as his arms enveloped her, first around her waist, then his hands sliding down from there.

Angela thought for sure Hawk returned the feelings she had, but he was the one to break away first. Not abruptly, but the way he disentangled her arms from his neck was definitive. He took a step back, and she looked at him in confusion.

His expression was unreadable. "Good night, Angela," he said, turning to go, and as quick as the shadows he was gone.

--

Lise had requested a private dinner for the now-foursome the night before they left for Palo, confessing to her friends that she did not have the energy for a formal banquet. At dinner, Hawk examined his new traveling companions, dressed now in wear suitable for a palace. Hawk was not comfortable in that sort of outfit, but Lise had kindly provided a slim, soft black top and breeches.

There was Angela, of course, a good-looking woman if he had ever seen one. She had borrowed a sky-blue dress from one of Lise's friends, and the cleavage it displayed would make any man look twice. And she knew it too, of course. Even after that night she had found him in the castle hallways, she flirted blatantly with him, even with others around. A couple years ago, she would have definitely been fun for him. He would have taken her up on what she had was offering, had some good times, and left it at that. Exciting she would certainly be, but he suspected she would be fairly high-maintenance in the long term. But there was Jessica, now, after all.

Even then, it might have been another thing if the two of them had been alone, but then there was Duran. And Angela was obviously completely besotted with him, even though Duran didn't seem to get what she wanted. He didn't need to be told that the two of them had been intimate for quite some time now; their bickering only made him more sure. It was pretty clear to him that she was trying to make Duran jealous. It might work on Duran, at that; there was a man who enjoyed conquest. Hawk himself was never much in favor of such games; it really wasn't the style in free-thinking Navarre.

Then there was Lise, a study in contrasts. She was friendly, but held back. Hawk sensed some sort of tension between her and the other woman. She was just as beautiful as Angela, though she seemed barely aware of it; and she was supremely confident in a fight, wielding that lance with sureness. But she seemed to have little knowledge of men; Hawk knew she could kiss, but he strongly suspected she had not done much more. And then there was something dark about her as well, that he couldn't quite figure out. He had never heard her laugh. Taken together, it made him itch to find out more.

The simple fact was, Angela attracted him, but Lise intrigued him.


	13. Ship of Darkness

**13. SHIP OF DARKNESS (ANGELA)**

Four days after the retaking of Rolante, Angela and her companions entered Palo to hear quite a commotion.

Crossing under the town's gates and turning a corner or two, they saw the source of the ruckus in front of the inn.

The merchant cat Angela and Duran had seen upon first arriving in Palo was surrounded by a circle of very angry villagers. They were beating him with sticks, pelting him with stones, while the cat tried in vain to shield himself. The angry bruises showing even through his fur proved he was losing the fight.

"_What is the meaning of this?_" heard Angela from behind, the female voice booming and echoing through the village's humble buildings. Lise could be quite imposing in her Queen-mode, she thought with a hint of a smile.

"But, Miss Lise... He's one of _them_!" A man wielding a heavy club stepped back from the circle to answer the Queen.

"We do not attack persons in this country that way, no matter what they have done. I will be the judge of that myself." Lise stepped into Angela's vision, not bothering to hide her fury. As she spoke, Duran stepped inside the circle, daring anyone to challenge him, and suddenly, faced with a more threatening adversary, the villagers backed off.

"Nikita!" Hawk jumped off the roof of the building, into the circle. _When had he gotten up there?_ Angela wondered. He did seem to show up from the craziest places.

Hawk's short swords were out, in a subtle battle-ready stance. Before Rolante, Angela had figured all he could do was joke around, and pick a couple locks, but now she knew better. Instead of his usual jovial grin, the look on his face was deadly.

"Anyone who hurts this cat will answer to me," he said, in a quiet voice, somehow much more frightening than had he yelled. Whatever resistance remained in the villagers left, and they suddenly found better things to do, although Angela did hear one big man mumble, "Aw, to hell with them both," before leaving.

Hawk turned to Lise. "Thanks for standing up for my friend."

Lise nodded, all business. "Maybe we had better get him inside the inn," she suggested.

The four of them headed inside and put Nikita in one of the inn's rooms, despite his protests that he was fine. He grabbed Hawk's arm. "Wait, all of you," he said. "You're Hawk's friends, you should hear this too."

Angela paused, and saw the others do the same, as she plopped herself curiously in one of the chairs. Duran remained standing, stepping to the side of her seat, while Lise shuffled uncomfortably before settling cross-legged on the floor. Hawk perched on the side of the bed, clearly intensely concerned for his friend.

The story Nikita told them was pretty amazing. Navarre taken over by monsters, everyone put under a spell. Their leader, Flamekhan, suddenly deathly ill, and no one knew what was wrong. Hawk's friend, Jessica, cursed and jailed. _Maybe more than friend_, Angela suspected, from the involuntary scowl that crossed Hawk's face when Nikita spoke of her. Resisters were killed outright, and the walls were fortified as if war was coming.

Hawk didn't give a hint of emotion, but nevertheless, his body spoke of raw tension as he listened to what had become of his home. "Nikita, you'll have to stay in Rolante for a while. It's way too dangerous."

"I'll make sure whatever he needs is paid for," added Lise from the floor.

"I guess that's the thing, then." Nikita closed his eyes, yawning sleepily. "You be careful too, bro." Angela rose somewhat gracefully, smoothing her dress, as her companions shifted as well. As he began snoring, the party quietly departed to their own rooms at the inn.

--

Angela was feeling lonely.

She tried to call it a hundred other things, but basically, that was it, and it was leaving her sleepless. After hours of tossing and turning, she gave up the quest for rest, and pulled on a robe to step outside her door.

She wandered down the hall of the inn, pausing briefly in front of Duran's room, contemplating for a moment; but sense took over, and she forced herself to move on. She was sick of him, she was done.

Reaching the end of the hall, she tried a doorknob. She was surprised when it turned open, but perhaps the room's inhabitant had no need of locks.

Sure enough, Hawk's eyes were already wide awake as she slipped into the room.

"Angela," he said. "What a surprise. What can I do for you today?" Mildly teasing, as always.

She returned his tone, crossing the room to sit on the edge of his bed. "Well, I don't know, Hawk. What do you think you might do for me?" She leaned forward and slid her hand underneath the blanket.

Hawk pulled her down, her face close to his. He gazed at her intently. "I have a feeling you're about to show me," he said quietly.

He rose slightly to meet her lips, kissing her deeply. Not holding back, this one, that was for sure.

She let her body fit against his, and for a long moment, lost herself in the kiss. He rolled her over, laying her breathlessly flat against the bed, and leaned over her, supporting himself on his elbows as he looked down at her. The look in his eyes was questioning.

"Is this what you want, Angela? You want me to sleep with you?"

"Yes," she responded heavily. After that kiss, her body, at least, knew it did.

"I could, you know. You're a gorgeous woman, and you would love every minute of it. I know what I'm doing with a woman, I can tell you that… Except you only think you want this."

Angela looked up at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You're taking the easy way out, instead of trying to fix things with the one you really want. You probably started with him much the same way, right? No, don't answer, I can tell, and you made him run around in circles, I'm sure. But now he's in love with you, and trying to respect you by not pushing you into anything, and for the life of you, you can't decide whether to give in or run away. So here you are, trying your best to make a mistake that would force Duran to make the decision for you."

Angela was shocked. No man had ever talked to her that way before. Or been that perceptive, for that matter. She had thought all men were emotionally clueless, but she couldn't argue with anything he said.

She stood up, turning her face away from him, suddenly embarrassed. He stood with her and followed her as she walked to the door. Placing hands on her shoulders, he turned her to face him.

"We'll keep this between us, won't we?" she asked, anxious now.

"Of course," he said. Then he leaned over to give her one final kiss. "But you're allowed to think about what we could've done," he said with a wink.

--

A cheerful captain greeted them at the dock the next morning. "Hello, my friends! Free passage for you, my Queen, and the saviors of Rolante!"

Hawk squinted at the morning light, wishing for at least another hour of sleep. But, he supposed, mild sleep deprivation was not the worst he had ever been through, and his companions seemed rested enough. Though Angela was keeping her distance from his this morning, he noticed.

Lise smiled at the ship captain's invitation, and began to climb the gangplank, Duran following her. Hawk paused momentarily, and was startled by a sudden grip on his arm, more so when he turned to find Angela at his side. For once, she did not seem to be flirtatious. "Something doesn't feel right," she told him, her eyes carrying urgency.

"Yeah, this captain seems a little shady to me. Somehow his cheerfulness is forced."

"It's not that," insisted Angela. "There's some weirdness to the Mana here."

"How so?" he asked, but she only shook her head, unable to elaborate. It was unfortunate that Angela was the only one with magic ability; there was no one to help her interpret her sometimes-odd sensations.

"I guess we should ask the others," he suggested, for lack of any better idea. Hawk trusted his own instincts, and he felt rather wary himself, but he figured whatever happened, this group could handle it. Angela pouted, and he stroked the hand on his arm reassuringly.

They rejoined Lise and Duran, motioning the two away to relay Angela's perceptions quietly. Lise listened, but ultimately did not seem so terribly concerned. "Byzel's a little far, and the ships to there only leave Palo once a week," she objected, and though Hawk believed Angela, somehow, no one could raise a proper argument against going. Despite their reservations, no one was willing to delay another week. The trip would be three days as it was; taking the northern route to Maia instead would be even longer. He mentally cursed the isolated location of Rolante, at the eastern edge of the civilized world.

As they boarded, he brushed his feelings off for the sake of group unity; it wasn't the first time he had been forced to hide emotions, nor the worst. The ship pushed off, and Hawk saw Lise gazing at Palo and the Rolante mountains behind it, receding in the distance.

A few steps beside him, he heard Angela's voice, velvety-smooth and perennially seductive, chatting and joking with the crew; and Duran's gruff laughter as well. As the boat began to rock, heading towards the ocean proper, Lise flitted in and out of conversation, today more reserved than Hawk himself. He heard his own voice talking with the people around him, but his mind was elsewhere, drifting out over the sea. Except for the small part that was monitoring the golden-haired and troubled woman on the deck.

Hours dragged, and the voices around him stilled as night fell, the voices' owners presumably retiring to bed. Still, Lise stayed, seeming almost relieved to no longer have the pressure of conversation.

Hawk rather understood that himself.

Quiet settled except for the murmur of the waves, and despite a bit of reservation about invading her privacy, Hawk approached her. "Lise," he began, "you can't spend the night out here."

She turned to him, that being her only reaction, but returned to gazing out across the moonlit waves. Her neutral face was sadder than any expression Hawk could conceive.

He contemplated for a moment, deciding whether or not to reach for her. She was not as comfortable with touch as he was, and he didn't plan to try anything like the kiss he had given her again. Not for a while, though this close, he felt a stirring that wanted him to do otherwise.

He reached out gently, tentatively, to place a friendly hand around her shoulders, and she settled somewhat gratefully into his arm. He could feel the rigid tension that had kept her upright melting away, as she slumped slightly against his side, her head brushing his shoulder. _That was enough_, he supposed, as she let him lead her to their cabins.

--

By the fourth day of the voyage, Angela had forgotten her worries, and was just plain irritated.

"What's going on? Why aren't we at Byzel yet?" she complained, playing cards with the men in the late hours of the evening. Lise read a book in the corner.

"Maybe they're taking the scenic route. Raise three!" said Hawk, slapping his chips down.

Just then, she heard a chilling laugh. She thought maybe she was losing it, trapped on this ship for so long, but then she looked at the faces of her companions. Lise had put down her book and picked up her spear.

"Guys," Duran said slowly, "I think it's time to grab our weapons." Angela fumbled below the table for her staff, absolutely in agreement, as the party rose to their feet.

"Don't forget I raised!" said Hawk, as they stepped out into the corridor.

His jovial mood died along with everyone else's as they looked around them.

The ship around them was broken and decayed. Holes had formed in rotten floorboards. Mold covered the walls. Angela regarded the scenario, incredulous; it hadn't looked that way only hours before.

"This ship is giving me the creeps!" a deep male voice spoke, and Angela was startled out of her thoughts. If _Duran_ admitted being scared… something was definitely wrong.

"This is definitely not normal," agreed Hawk. "With my luck, we probably ended up on the legendary Ghost Ship or something."

Angela felt a splash of dizziness, and for a moment she thought she might faint, before the feeling of familiarity took over and the Fairy emerged from whatever corner of her head she was occupying. Putting her hands to her temples, Angela wondered if she would ever become accustomed to that vaguely nauseating feeling.

"Wait!" the small being cried, all turning at the sound of her voice. "I sense a presence on this ship!"

"What?" Angela asked. "A monster? A merchant? An elemental spirit?"

"Yes!" the Fairy answered to the last, and Angela started in surprise. "It's hard to pinpoint, with all the crazy Mana energy going on here… but I think there's an Elemental not so far." Her wings fluttered, and her tiny face gained a hint of ponderance. "We'll have to look for it."

"We, meaning everyone else," Angela added, as the fairy _swooshed_ back to her home. Instinctively, she grabbed a pillar to steady herself, brushing off Duran's proffered arm.

"Well, spirit or way off the ship, we're going to have to find _something_," reasoned Lise. No one protested, so she strode to the first door and opened it.

Two ghouls appeared in front of them, undead jaws slavering with posthumous spittle. Angela carelessly sent holy balls in their direction, obliterating them instantly.

"How did you know this was the Ghost Ship?" she demanded of Hawk.

"I didn't! I just made that up to be funny!" he protested.

Perhaps, but it was uncannily prescient, Angela thought as they progressed through the decrepit ship. There were plenty of other zombies and specters to distract them as they walked down the halls, trying door after door only to find more of the same. It was becoming positively monotonous, and Angela reached for the knob of yet another door expecting no difference.

To her surprise, the next room was a library.

She exhaled sharply, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, while her friends scattered among the room, confused and wary.

"What is all this?" Duran demanded, hypothetically, she hoped.

"Books, Duran. Books. Things filled with words that provide information," Hawk said, a bit snarkily. Duran paused, then glared, then chuckled.

Lise was the reader of the group, but nevertheless, she frowned as she went up to the bookcase, drawing one finger across the selection as she read off the titles. "Book of Blood... Book of Curses... Book of Death. I'm not sure I _want_ to know what's inside."

"Don't be afraid, Lise," teased Hawk. "Why, I'm sure it's incredibly informative. Take this one, Book of Blood..." As Hawk opened the book, it floated up into midair, flipping pages as it rose.

"Is that a good, or a bad thing?" Angela wondered out loud. She grabbed the next. "Book of Curses, we mages know all about that." She opened it, and was not terribly surprised when it levitated as well, to join the other against the right wall.

Lise shuddered. "I'm not looking inside Book of Death."

"I'll do it." Duran strode over to the bookcase. "I'm not afraid of a little magic." He had not lost all of his prejudices yet, Angela noted.

The third book formed the head of a triangle with the other two. Slowly, the wall creaked and slid back to expose a smaller room beyond. A small writing desk sat in the middle of the room.

"Hey, look! Another book! Maybe it tells us how to get out of here!" Hawk bounded forward.

"Hawk, I don't know if you should..." Lise worried, but it was too late. As Hawk flipped through the pages of the book, he became more.. vaporous.

"Hey, why are you guys looking at me?" Hawk looked down at his transparent hands.

"Because you look like a _ghost_!" snapped Angela. "Duh!"

"What? It's not supposed to end like this... I'm not supposed to die!" Leave it to Hawk to make fun of a curse.

The figure of the captain appeared before them, but not the cheerful figure they had seen on the docks. His eyes were hollow sockets, his body gaunt and bony. "The curse... it is yours now... my soul can finally escape this Shade-possessed ship," the captain's ghost murmured.

That triggered a thought in Angela's head. Wait a minute. Shade? Wasn't that the Elemental Spirit of Darkness? "Is that it?" she asked, silently, to the being currently ensconced in some odd place in her head.

A response arose. "He must be here!" confirmed the Fairy. "But this is not his work... something must be confining him..."

A feeling of dread overlaid the Fairy's answer, the mood infecting Angela as well, as she relayed the message to the others. Lise nodded studiously, and Duran merely tightened his grip on his unsheathed sword.

"Well, go handle it, whatever it is," Ghost-Hawk sighed. "I guess I'll be here."

Nods were given from the rest of the party, as the three remaining members reluctantly left Hawk. Duran strode confidently into the corridor, Lise bringing up the rear, with a quick final glance at Hawk that Angela only caught out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see a quick grin and wink from Hawk, before returning her attention to the problem before them.

They began a thorough search of the ship, Lise methodically leading them from door to door, but all they found was ghost after ghost. Angela wiped them out with magic before the fighters could even compete, ghosts suddenly wiped out by blasts of light, leaving an afterimage of mouths positioned in a silent scream. It was all getting too easy.

Deck by deck they climbed, until one stair finally led them out onto the main deck, the sudden chill of the fresh air hitting them. Angela simultaneously savored and shivered from the cold, and allowed her eyes to adapt from the dim torchlight of the ship's interior to the soft glow of the moon, before a thick fog drifted across the sea to obscure all vision save the deck of the ship.

The fog wrapped around her, suffocating her despite the tang of the salty sea air, and she realized quickly enough that Mana permeated the unnatural mist. Duran and Lise were close enough to be visible, still, but their poised stance told her the aura had not been lost on them. They looked around, hands clenched on weaponry. Angela breathed, and waited.

The fog quivered ever so slightly, and the magician with it. A deep voice broke the heavy silence. "_Welcome to my ship of wandering spirits_," it intoned.

The voice was anywhere, everywhere, and calming and frightening all in one. "Shade?" ventured Angela.

"No," laughed the voice. "This is _my_ ship, now." The creature that appeared was pure ghost, only the vaguest definition of face and arms and a torso that disappeared into a wispy tail.

No elemental, this, and the fighters snapped to attention, Angela herself breathing in and opening herself to the power of Mana. "Break the curse on my friend, and let us go!" cried Lise, her voice somehow both powerful and plaintive together.

Her plea was ineffectual. "There is only one way out..." said the ghost, and Angela felt the Mana surge.

"Oh no you don't!" she yelled. She had plenty of practice on this ghost ship, and the holy balls she called were her biggest yet. She could deal with the phantom.

The creature glided towards them, and Duran stepped forward to take a swipe with his sword. Shockingly enough, the misty thing appeared to take injury; but it learned quickly, and fled out of weapon range.

"I guess this is all you, Angela," Duran conceded.

"Cover me!" she shouted, mentally pulling on all the Mana she felt she could handle, grabbing it greedily, hungrily. Without the assistance of fighters… well, she would have to cast as hard and fast as possible. There was no other way.

One after another, she fired off balls of light. The ghost wavered in and out of existence, but quickly she learned to aim towards its general region, and every time she hit the specter even slightly, it flitted back into view, a sitting duck for her next slam.

The casting was taking it out of her, though, and as she gasped for breath, the thing spotted its chance. With a snap of its fingers, a dark rain began to fall. This was no ordinary wet rain, though; it was like it was dripping into her mind. The damage was not to her strength; it was to the magic core where she began to form her spells, and Mana shattered like raindrops on glass.

She screamed, both in pain and frustration, and fell as the world around her faded into unimportance. Vaguely, the feeling penetrated that she needed to do _something_, that she needed to fight back… but she felt trapped in helplessness.

Arms wrapped around her shoulders as she knelt on the deck, her hands to her head, and Angela suddenly found herself clinging to Lise as she fought back tears. Lise's light, clear voice spoke to her. "Here, try this," she said. "It's supposed to help magic... I've had it for a while, since I can't use magic myself..." Angela's hand was somehow guided to clasp Lise's, and the small item it held.

She didn't need to be told what it was; she had held these a hundred times before. It was a sahagin's scale. In her home country, the magicians dried these scales, of the land-dwelling ice-fish, and enchanted them; they were supposed to boost your magic.

Of course, not knowing magic, she had never used one, but it was worth a try. Angela held it to her head. It didn't matter what part of her skin it contacted, it would be absorbed, but it felt right.

She didn't know where the young queen had gotten it, but it was the real thing, and Mana rapidly filled her, as if diving into a warm pool. As the pain became a memory, she stood up and began her attack again.

The ghost seemed surprised to see her back, but it recovered quickly as magic blasted it anew. It let out a plaintive wail... and suddenly, hundreds of small ghosts were tearing down on the party.

Like a storm of insects, they surrounded and stung, Angela feeling itchy bites form on her skin. Duran and Lise whacked as many as they could, within their general vicinity; but they barely made a dent. The things needed magic to take them down, and magic they would have. Angela tinkered with her spell once again.

This time, a sheet of light extended in all directions, burning the ghosts on the spot. She surprised herself. She had sacrificed raw power to diffuse the spell that way, but it did the trick.

Satisfying, but the attack had made her temper rise. That was enough. She was sick of this ship, sick of these ghosts, and sick of casting holy light!

Her anger fed into her spell, unknowingly, and the blast of light she let off didn't just kill the creature, it obliterated it. Not that she expected a ghost to leave a body, but she at least expected some dramatic demise.

Instead, it was just _gone_. So was a lot of her stress.

Duran stood first. "Angela, that was pretty scary." Angela wasn't sure if that was a compliment, but she smiled anyway.

A deep voice resounded, not the voice of the ghost creature. This one was somehow more ancient, more dignified. "You have released my soul from captivity... now let me return the favor."

It was only a moment before Hawk ran onto the deck, fully opaque. "I'm a whole man again! All right!" Duran shook his hand in congratulations.

Angela did not need to be told it was the Spirit of Darkness that appeared. The Mana resonance was overwhelming, and she quivered in anticipation of what this being might have to teach her. Learning spells now seemed to be old-fashioned to her, something for those who did not have the power to communicate with the Spirits.

Shade was frightening to behold. The Elemental was a large, bat-like creature... lacking a head. The claws of his wings held, not the missing head, but a single, enormous cobalt-blue eyeball. Angela might have thought him evil, if she could not sense the spirit emanating from him. She understood. The powers of dark were to oppose those who had twisted the powers of light. Dark, light... if there was one, there would be the other.

"Angela... are you okay?" Duran's voice brought her back from her Mana-rapture, as the Fairy popped up to communicate with her fellow spirit. "Is the Mana Stone of Darkness here too?"

"No," replied Shade. "It was unfortunate that the God-Beast of Darkness broke out alone, many thousands of years ago. It could have been any of them, but the destruction it brought across the land made people believe that it was Darkness itself that was evil, not its abuse of power."

"So what happened to the Stone?" the Fairy persisted.

"It was last seen at the last point where the God-Beast touched this world, where the ancient heroes were able to reseal it back into its stone. But even I cannot tell for sure where that is, because once the God-Beast was free, it avoided confinement any longer, and took great pains to hide its location from me. One can only hope the ancients left some record of their achievement."

"And all this came about from the release of only one God Beast," added the spirit. "I am afraid that the actions of humans may release them all at once."

As he said this, the Spirit of Darkness seemed to fade, as Hawk had earlier. The deck beneath them began to shake.

"What's happening?" shrieked Lise.

"I am sorry... defeating the ghost freed me from this ship... but that means the ship itself will disappear..."

"No way!" That was Hawk.

That was all the warning they got before the ship started to break apart, dumping them in the cold ocean water.


	14. Sea and Land

**14. SEA AND LAND (ANGELA)**

Lise was a strong swimmer. She saw the land up ahead, even lights from what appeared to be a medium-sized town.

Realistically, it was too far to swim, but she had no choice. She could see no sign of her friends.

She struck out with powerful strokes, one after another. But the more she pulled towards shore, the farther away it seemed. She could feel the cold entering her body. Hypothermia was not far off.

Maybe she should just give up now, she thought. If she was going to die anyway, why fight it until the end? Why not make peace with fate?

She leaned back, and let herself float on the waves. The stars were beautiful tonight, she thought. She looked for constellations - the Beastman, the Poseidon, the Dragon.

She thought she was ready to die, when Fate grabbed her by her shirt, and hauled her into a small boat.

"She looks a little out of it," said a man's voice.

"She's probably completely dehydrated, she's been out there for hours, who knows how much saltwater she swallowed." A name surfaced to match the voice. Hawk? She tried to speak the name, but all that came out was "uuummmmm..."

"Take it easy, Lise," said the voice. "You're okay now." She thought she saw lavender hair and tilted eyes above her.

He had kissed her, in Rolante. She should really return the favor. She tried to force her body to sit up, but felt herself spiraling towards blackness instead.

--

As the ship began to disintegrate, Angela couldn't understand why Duran stopped to fiddle with his armor.

Then it struck her. Metal didn't float, it sank.

While the bindings of the ship fell apart, Angela saw that he had released his breastplate. Good, that was the heaviest part. But she knew it wouldn't be enough.

Sure enough, she saw Duran perhaps thirty yards from her, flailing and then slowly sinking beneath the waves.

The water was cold, but to someone who had learned to swim in the ice-lakes of Altena, this was nothing. She unclasped her cloak - she had been meaning to get a new one anyway - and, taking a deep breath, dove under the icy waters of the Bucca Ocean.

Fortunately, the moon was full, giving enough light for her to faintly see the reflection of Duran's gauntlets. He was sinking quickly, though; it was hard enough to carry all that armor on land, but in water it was impossible, no matter how strong he was.

She kicked to dive deeper.

Approaching him, she saw one gauntlet was hanging by a thread. She tore it off, and tinkered with the strap of the other. _Please, Goddess, don't let him pass out_. She was not religious, but she prayed. If he lost consciousness, his lungs would take over, and once his lungs took on water, she could not save him. Not this far from shore.

The gauntlet came off, but a quick glance told her his eyes were glazing over. She knew she didn't have much time as she grabbed for his legs.

If she could have screamed, she would have. Expecting a simple strap, she found a complex criss-cross closure.

She had been down for four or five minutes. Her lungs were burning. She had to make it to the surface for air. But she feared, if she let go of him, he'd die. But if she didn't, they would both die.

She looked up. They couldn't be more than ten feet down. Grabbing his belt, she kicked as hard as she could upwards.

She couldn't let go. She didn't care what had happened. She wanted to make love with him one last time.

Wait, did she just say make love?

She forced herself to focus. Almost to the surface, five feet at most, but with him dragging her down, she knew she wasn't going to make it. Would she be able to let him go?

_Damn you, Fairy_, she cursed in her head. _Damn you for giving me this choice_, she thought, even though it wasn't truly the Fairy's fault. She heard no response. Maybe the Fairy had drowned too, like she and Duran were about to.

A wave boosted her up to the surface, and she broke, gasping for breath. As air filled her lungs, she realized, it was not, in fact, a wave. It was much too solid.

Turning to her left, she saw... a giant... turtle?

She must be dying, and this was her final delirium.

But she turned and looked next to her. Duran was there, and his eyes were closed, but he was breathing.

If she was already dead, this was the way to go. He was the last thing she saw before she closed her eyes as well.

--

Angela coughed as she drank from the cup of water Hawk offered.

The thief really did have the most amazing luck. How did he find the only fishing boat in the entire ocean, whose owner had decided to leave two hours early that morning?

Angela listened to Hawk's story, captivated. Just hearing his voice was reassuring her she was, in fact, alive. No one in the Holyland would be this sarcastic.

"And then," Hawk finished triumphantly, "Lise threw up all over me!"

"I did not!" Lise returned with a twinge of embarrassment.

"Oh yes you did, my dear, and I'm glad for it." Hawk laughed. "The salt water might have poisoned you otherwise, you did swallow quite a lot."

Lise gave him a withering look from where she sat on a rock, finger-combing her hair. The only permanent damage the girl had suffered had been to lose her hair tie. Her golden hair cascaded to her waist. Angela understood she kept it braided for fighting, but she made a mental note to tell her to keep it out the rest of the time. It looked amazing.

"Duran?" was the first word she finally croaked out. Even after the drink of water, her throat burned.

"Well, he lost all his pretty armor, and his sword," Hawk began, "but he's fine. Did you do that, Angela?"

Angela could only nod, lying on her back on the beach. She thought she saw admiration in Hawk's eyes.

Lise and Hawk patiently waited for a couple of hours as Angela and Duran regained their strength. And their powers of speech. Angela finally got out the story of their rescue.

Lise looked disbelieving, and Hawk openly laughed when she told them about the giant turtle.

"It's true, I tell you!"

"Whatever, Angela. Say, how much seawater do you have to swallow before it reaches your brain?"

"Duran was there too," Angela insisted sullenly.

"Duran doesn't remember any of it." The man in question looked at Hawk. He seemed to be coming along, though he still looked the most ashen-faced of them all. Angela uncomfortably remembered some thoughts about him she had when she thought they were dying. She hoped she hadn't _said_ anything that he might recall, even subconsciously.

To push down the memory, she shoved him, gently. "That'll teach you that armor is more trouble than it's worth." Duran grunted.

After a moment, he spoke. "Speaking of armor, we need to get some. And weapons, too. I don't know how Lise held on to her spear..."

"It was my mother's," Lise interjected, by way of explanation.

"...but my sword is gone, and Angela's lost her cane and cloak. Where are we, anyway?"

"Just outside Byzel," Hawk answered.

"Perfect. The merchant city. But does anyone know anyone who will give us money in this city?" Trust Duran to switch straight to the solid and practical.

There was silence all around.

"Well, even if there were any Altenan connections here," spoke up Angela, "being the 'Princess of Altena' is not the name-drop it used to be. Last I heard, there was a death warrant out for me."

"We don't really keep diplomats in Byzel," Lise admitted. "Maia, yes, but Byzel goes its own way."

"Isn't Forcena sort of allied with Byzel, Duran?" Angela asked. "Military protection or some such?"

Duran sighed. "Maia, yes, but not Byzel, really," he explained. "This town is home to the biggest underground economy in the world. It could be easily conquered by almost anyone, but as soon as it was, other countries would move their dealings elsewhere. The economy would be so depleted, it would be a worthless prize. Most countries profit more as is. Including Rolante," he said, giving a knowing gaze to Lise.

Lise tried to pretend she hadn't noticed.

"An economy based on stealth, not wealth or force," said Hawk. "My kind of people."

"I'm sure they are, Hawk. Say, don't you know anyone here?" Angela was feeling pushy.

Hawk looked uncomfortable at the question. 'Well... a few... but..."

"But what?" Angela continued. "Spill it, we're all friends here."

"Well, there are people in the Black Market I could probably extort some money from," Hawk began. "But you forget, there's a death warrant on my head, and I'm not entirely sure who would like to claim the bounty."

"I'll protect you, Hawk," boasted Duran. He flexed a forearm currently covered by nothing but a thin undershirt. "At least, once I get a sword, I will."

"What if someone had already captured you? Would another try to steal you away?" asked Lise.

"Well, no, there's a certain code even among thieves, but... Lise, what are you getting at?"

"Simple." She looked enormously pleased with herself. "Angela and I captured you together outside Forcena. You've promised use you are worth a lot of money, and if you can't produce it, we're turning you over for the bounty. But I'm sure your friends would be happy to help you out, under the circumstances - especially when I stick my spear in his face. They know what Amazons can do, here, right?"

Hawk looked at her. "Lise, that's brilliant."

"And evil," Angela grinned. "We need cloaks and masks."

Fortunately, black cloth was not so hard to come by. Hawk had somehow retained a few gold coins, which he gave to the fisherman as a "reward", which somehow turned into a parting "gift" of black tarp. Deft slices of Hawk's blades, and Duran's surprising skill with a needle, took care of the rest.

"It's just like sewing up skin," Duran explained. Angela did not feel she needed further explanation.

By the time they finished, it was night. Which was perfect, because that was when the Black Market that Hawk had spoken of was open. As a finishing touch, Angela and Lise tied Hawk's hands together, loosely enough that in case they had to fight he could get undone quickly. Although Angela had adopted Hawk's daggers for the night, and they now hung from her makeshift belt.

"Hey, careful," Hawk said, as Lise tightened the bonds. Lise stopped, looking concerned. "I might find this too exciting."

Lise playfully slapped him on the arm, and they prepared to go. Duran, still weak, stayed with the fisherman and his family. The girls and their "captive" headed up to the town, and the Black Market.

--

Lise knew her country did business here, but like most good rulers, she pretended not to know about it.

Of course, that was hard to do, being inside it.

Lise was not entirely naive, but being exposed to this much depravity at once was a little much. The dealers, of course, were all around. Besides the ordinary magical items - she reminded herself to tell Angela to look for sahagin's scales here - there were potions, both medicinal and narcotic. In pillowed corners rested people who had obviously ingested the latter. They appeared to be completely removed from this world; their motions were strange, their words incomprehensible. It was intriguing and repulsive at the same time. Lise herself found a few goblets of wine with her Amazon sisters to be a more suitable release.

Two women and a man lay together in the corner. Lise quickly looked away as she realized none were wearing clothes. They couldn't possibly be doing _that_, could they? Right here, with everyone watching?

Angela was openly staring, and grinning mischievously, her thumb to her parted lips in an engaged gesture. It was lucky, Lise thought, that they had no money yet, otherwise who knows what her friend might decide to buy. What was a moon coin going to do for you, anyway?

In the center of the market, three women, calling themselves the Aurora sisters, swayed and gyrated to the hypnotic music played by the musicians in front of them, covered in only minimal scraps of clothing. Lise blushed despite herself. She wasn't familiar with this kind of sexuality. She hoped her first time would be something close and intimate, and _then _she could learn how to do that with her hips. Maybe Angela could teach her.

"Straight ahead, and right of the main desk," their "captive" whispered. "I saved him from a Forcenan jail once, I'm sure he would be happy to help free me from two good-looking women now."

They had already agreed that Angela would be able to talk more convincingly, while Lise would do better looking quietly threatening. So Angela approached the man, who, like Hawk, was from Navarre, though from one of the desert towns rather than the central fortress.

"Yang?" she inquired.

The dark man turned. "Who wants to know?"

"I have a friend of yours with me," she said, thrusting her chest forward while pulling Hawk's hood slightly back, her expression disinterested yet disdainful. They could have brought a stick in a hood and still gotten the man's attention. Angela had that effect.

From there, it was just a formality.

Before they left the Black Market, a large part of their cash was spent on the exclusive items available there. Little armor was for sale, but Lise found a heavy steel sword that she thought Duran could use, and Angela chose a new cane with rubies set in the top. They did indeed have sahagin's scales, as well as some equivalents for defense and power. Angela claimed the drying-and-enchanting-technique should work for those as well.

At the armor shop, the shopkeeper was only happy enough to stay open for the large purchase they made. Angela had brought notes from Duran on his specifications. She also chose a new cloak which she insisted had defensive spells woven in, although all Lise could see was that it was a nice color. As they left the city, Hawk having already worked his own hands out of the makeshift bonds, Angela broke into giggles.

Perhaps it was the feeling of having cheated death. Perhaps it was the strange experience of the Black Market. Or maybe it was just being around friends she knew she could trust. Whatever the reason, Lise felt happier than she had in a long time.

--

The party was all in need of some rest, after nearly drowning, and Hawk had obtained enough money to cover them for a few nights' stay. With the inn at Byzel booked up, they made the short trip to Maia to stay at their inn instead, which was truthfully cleaner anyway.

Angela sat next to Duran against the wall, while Hawk and Lise remained together across the room, finishing the last of dinner. Although she couldn't make out the words, she could hear the buzz of Hawk's voice. Unlike the man next to her, Hawk always had something to say.

Her flirting with Hawk hadn't earned her any reaction from Duran. In fact, he seemed to have given up on her completely. Now all she got was stony silence, and an empty bed.

So they sat together, staring into the fire, but worlds apart. She drifted into her own thoughts. Then suddenly, she heard ringing laughter from across the room.

Turning, she was surprised to see Lise's laughing uproariously at something Hawk had said. She had never once heard the girl laugh. She often seemed sad, though always polite. Since their retake of her castle she had opened up a little more, but this was something else altogether. Hawk, oddly enough, had a somewhat victorious look on his face.

She turned to the left, and saw her own startled look mirrored in Duran's eyes. Their eyes locked for a moment, as they hadn't in days. She missed that. She missed him.

Something must have shown in her eyes, for Duran tentatively put out a hand to touch her. Suddenly, Angela was overcome by shock and embarrassment, and got up to flee the room.

--

Duran had been sure Angela was finally going to say something warm to him. He hadn't understood why she suddenly transferred all her energy to Hawk when he arrived, flirting with him outrageously in the corridors of Rolante. But there wasn't much he could do about it; he merely refocused his energies on their journey.

She had been extremely upset about something, to flee the room that way. He looked back at Lise and Hawk, leaning with their heads close together. Angela was definitely the jealous type. Was it possible she was stuck on _Hawk_?

And why would she be so attached to the man? At first he had figured she was just flirting with Hawk to pass the time. She had lost interest in him so rapidly, that he had figured that was just the way she was. Had she fallen for the Navarrian? Suddenly, his ego puffed up at the thought that he could have been rejected - for a _thief_!

Anger welled, and he decided he wanted answers. He did something he hadn't done before. He pursued her.

He bounded up the stairs and saw she had stopped by the door to her room, but hadn't gone in. She just leaned against her door with her head down. If Angela was a woman who cried, he might have said she was about to.

"Angela," he said, and she turned her head. It was at that point he realized he had no idea what he was going to say, he just had the urge to run after her. He didn't think he could change her mind. How was he supposed to talk to her when she was distraught over the man she'd rejected him in favor of - and still keep a little dignity?

"Angela," he repeated. She turned her body to face his, her back against the wall.

"I'm sorry if Hawk is interested in Lise, I really wanted to see the two of you get together..." There. That sounded good.

He wasn't sure of the response he was expecting, but the flash of anger across her face was not it. "You bastard!" she yelled, slapping him ineffectually. She wouldn't really hurt him, but Angela liked to get physical when she was angry, in more ways than one. She punched his shoulders next. "You're just going to share me around with your friends?! Why not pass me around to the common room to earn a few extra Luc?! I sleep with you for weeks, and then you just let me go to someone else without a fight?! Is that all I am worth to you?!"

Duran listened to her tirade. The words weren't so bad, but he was getting a little bored with her hitting him. He took he wrists gently to stop her, using the smallest possible force to pull them away from his body (which wasn't much, considering his strength) and looked into her eyes as she stood with he back to the wall, her chest still heaving with exertion.

"Now you listen to me, Angela." He'd never talked to her like this before.

"First of all, you're not going to hit me again.

"I have to remind you, I did not let you go. You've been fawning over Hawk since he joined us. Even before then, you were pulling away from me, every time I tried to get close to you.

"Remember this place? This is where you first seduced me. That was your plan, wasn't it?" Her guilty look told him he had hit has mark. "And I didn't mind. At the start, there was attraction. But as days turned into weeks, and we spent our days - and nights - together, how would you expect that I would get close to you and not start to care? I've been with you all these nights because I love you, so don't act as if thought you were a waste of time. I wanted to tell you, over and over, but the more I tried the more distance you put in between us."

That was probably the longest speech he had ever given her. Hawk must be rubbing off on him, though really he was only stating the obvious. She probably thought he was ridiculous.

But he watched Angela's anger drain out of her, and be replaced by a look that was surprised, questioning, and - if this look was ever seen on Angela - vulnerable. He let her hands go.

She dropped her arms, rubbing her wrists ever so slightly. She looked at him with a quiver of resentment...

Then, without warning, she threw her arms around him. "I love you too," she whispered, as he held her around the waist, her silk-gloved hands caressing the sides of his face and neck as she kissed him passionately. His fingers tangled the ends of her amethyst hair as he pulled her body closer.

Hanging onto her with his right hand, his left fumbled with the doorknob, and still wrapped around each other, they tumbled into Angela's room.

--

Angela had spent many nights with Duran, but this was the first time they had really made love.

After his admission in the hallway, she had thrown herself at him. And Princess Angela of Altena did not throw herself at men. But he had taken control, just as he had taken control of their argument, and forced her to slow down. He did better when he was given something to be in charge of, she thought to herself. Even though her instinct was to fight him for control every step of the way. Then she looked back at him, and he smiled at her, and she forgot what she was thinking.

And at the end, he held her from behind as they lay together, looking out at the moonlight over the ocean.

It was pretty awesome.

--

The travel back to Forcena passed uneventfully. With four party members, not the two they had the first time, getting through the caves and highlands was a breeze.

King Richard greeted Lise, Princess - now Queen, though not officially crowned - of Rolante, with the respect afforded between equals. Hawk, he did not know quite what to make of, but greeted him respectfully nonetheless.

"You've returned," he observed, "with the spirits of Light, Earth, Wind, and Darkness. I see you are ready to move on, so I will tell you where to find the rest." Angela straightened eagerly.

"The Mana Stone of Water is in Altena, in a cave south of the snowfields. You'll find Undine there. But be careful, the Stone's energy has already been released."

Angela gasped. The release of that Stone's energy was what she had almost died for. She wondered sadly who lost their life in her place.

"South of the Desert of Scorching Heat lies the Valley of Flames. There, you'll find the Mana Stone of Fire and its guardian spirit, Salamando." Hawk looked grim. She remembered him saying there was a bounty on his head in his home country. Well, death warrants were one thing they had in common, she supposed.

"Southeast of here, you'll find the Moonlight Forest and the Mana Stone of the Moon. The beastmen inhabiting that area are quite strong, so be prepared."

Her companions all straightened at that. They had all been at Jad, and none were looking forward to encountering beastmen again. Come to think of it, Lise had mentioned talking to one there, who didn't seem to be with the rest...

"The Mana Stone of Wood is in the Forest of Wonder, but it's inaccessible by land. South of that is the Lampflower Forest, and the elf village of Diorre. The Faerie King lives in Diorre. He knows more about the Mana Stone."

"I suspect you'll want a couple days to plan and stock supplies. Please, Rieszella, Hawk, Angela, be welcome to my hospitality." Lise thanked him regally for all of them. Thank Goddess, she was really much better at this regal protocol than Angela herself was; and it didn't help that she had some disturbing un-regal thoughts about the relationship between Richard and her mother. Better let Lise handle it all.

The bedroom she was led to was not the same one as last time, but was still the most comfortable chambers she had in a while nonetheless. She fell backwards on the soft bed. It appeared Richard had not been entirely unobservant during their last visit; Duran would not ask to share her bedroom under his sovereign's roof, but his chamber had an adjoining door. She wondered what Richard thought about the Princes of Altena in love with one of his knights, his late best friend's son no less.

In love. That was a new concept for her. She and Duran had finally admitted the truth to each other, but she wasn't sure what to do about it, she was only barely getting used to the idea.

Fortunately, Duran seemed satisfied, for the moment, just to get her to say the words. He didn't rush her into any more.

Sighing, she curled up on the silken sheets. She would unlock that adjoining door eventually, but for now she was grateful for the rest.


	15. Peaceful Moments

**15. PEACEFUL MOMENTS (HAWK)**

Hawk was very pleased with himself. It had taken him a while, but in Maia, he had finally broken the ice with Lise.

He had been very surprised at her reaction the first time he met her, when he kissed her and she shrieked. Maybe it was the hot desert weather of Navarre, or their close living conditions, but the desert's people were very comfortable with each other. A kiss was no big deal.

But obviously, things were different in Rolante. He suspected such a militant society would necessarily be more distant from one another, at least with strangers. He had resolved after that to be respectful of her boundaries; he didn't want her jumping away at his touch, nor did he want her to feel uncomfortable without him. But he had touched her in another way, he knew - she smiled that beautiful smile more and more when he was around, even before he began teasing or joking or telling her funny stories.

He didn't necessarily mean for it to go anywhere, but it thrilled him to see her happy.

She was, in fact, an intelligent and wonderful conversationalist, even verbally sparring with him at times now that they were real friends. And that's how, this evening, they sat together in a sitting room in Forcena, talking about their lives before they had begun this journey.

He had heard the story about her father, her missing brother, her kingdom, but he pressed her for more detail. He wanted to hear what was really going on inside her, and slowly but surely, the tale spilled out. How her mother had died, leaving her to act as a mother to Elliott; how, with no mother and a disabled father, she had assumed the army's command at twelve, years before she would have otherwise; how she had fled her conquered kingdom and begun plotting to restore it. As she talked, Hawk thought to himself how, over and over, she talked about her responsibilities to others.

"Well, what about you, Lise?" he finally interrupted.

"Huh?" She didn't seem to understand what he was asking.

"You've put yourself in danger, over and over, for your kingdom and your citizens. You've been pursuing your goals single-mindedly, but somewhere in there, you're not happy, I can see it in your eyes. While all of this is happening, who is taking care of you?"

"You don't understand. I'm a princess - no, wait, a queen now," she corrected herself. "That is my honor, my duty, my life. And if it should come to pass that I must sacrifice my own life for my people, than so be it." Even as she said it, she seemed mournful.

That sounded like so much drivel to Hawk that he snapped. "What do you mean, you'll give your life away? Come on, Lise, you tried that buletteshit in Rolante, saying you would fight the enemy yourself, blah blah blah. In Navarre, we worry about each other, and our leaders most of all, because they keep us together. Don't any of your people care about what happens to you? Well, I have news for you. If you have any crazy ideas about throwing your life away for your kingdom, I'll be there to stop you - and you already know I'm faster than you."

He cut off as he realized she looked completely stunned. Then he realized that he had been _yelling_ at her! That was not how he treated a woman - or a friend, for that matter.

Suddenly flush with embarrassment, he wheeled and left the room.

--

Hawk didn't go down to dinner with his friends that night. He didn't want to eat at all, and sat stewing in his room. _Why had he gotten so angry with Lise?_ he wondered, tossing the question around to figure out what was going on in his own head as well. He guessed he couldn't stand the thought of losing someone close to him again. But after the way he had yelled at her, he was afraid he had hurt her feelings, after all the time he had spent trying to make her smile.

Eventually, late at night, he must have fallen asleep, because a knock on the door woke him to streaming daylight through the windows. He tried to hide under the covers. "Go away," he mumbled. Still, a quiet but insistent knock at his door. Finally, he stumbled out and opened the door.

There, standing in front of him, was Lise.

She was not wearing her ordinary clothes today. She had on a soft, sleeveless tunic and leggings, quite flattering on her slender form. And her hair was out of the braid. It was magnificent, thick, long, shiny gold falling towards her waist. Even without advertising her body, she easily eclipsed Angela, the way she looked now. In Hawk's humble opinion.

"Angela agrees we should rest here today, and discuss plans in the evening..." She smiled that sweet Lise-smile of hers, and held up what she had been carrying in her right hand. "I brought a picnic basket. I wanted to see if you wanted to go down to the river."

The embarrassment of the night before came flooding back. "Lise... I'm sorry I shouldn't have yelled at you like that -"

"It's okay", she cut in, her eyes looking towards the floor for a silent minute. "It's just... no one's ever said anything like that to me before... I never thought about it that way..." Her eyes said the rest, and suddenly he felt better.

"Let me just put on some clothes."

--

They walked down to the river, just the two of them, laughing, talking, eating, admiring the beauty around them. Lise had forgotten how nice it was to just _be _for a while. She stood on the bank, captivated by the water lazily flowing before her.

Which was a mistake, because she felt hands on her back, and had just enough time to say, "Why - you -" before Hawk pushed her into the river.

She rose above the surface sputtering, to see him laughing at her on the bank. Anyone else, she might have put a spear through him. He stopped laughing and just looked at her, smiling, really looking at _her_, her clothes clinging and her hair slicked along her body.

That gave her just the opening to pull him in after her. So much for thieves' reflexes.

But he laughed just as hard as before, his spirits not dampened, and his good humor infected her as she helped him to his feet and they stumbled towards the shore. She was having such a good time with him, she didn't even notice they were leaning all over each other. She wasn't usually comfortable being this close, physically, with a man, but somehow, it felt just right.

They lay on the bank together, glad for the warm weather giving them both a chance to dry out. It seemed they could spend forever there; Lise felt she could forget everything and just be there with him. But there was no avoiding reality, and eventually she returned to the discussion of the night before.

"The thing is, Hawk," she told him, "you think I am just ready to throw my life away, but really, I feel like I have already lost so much, that I couldn't bear to lose anything else. My parents, my brother, my friends... I would rather die than lose someone else close to me."

Hawk looked touched by her revelation. Lying close to her, he reached out to play with a long lock of her nearly-dry hair. "I figure our loved ones would rather have us cry and move on. Don't you ever cry, Lise?"

"I've cried so much, I feel like all my tears are gone."

"Yes... but I bet you've only ever cried alone." Her eyes widened. How had he known that?

"In Navarre," he continued, "there's no shame in being open with your emotions. When we want to laugh, we laugh. When we want to cry, we cry. When we want to love, we love.

"I've lost my best friend, my partners, my home, possibly my father figure and the woman I've been closest to in my life. And I don't try to hide the pain that brings." True to his words, she could see his eyes tearing up. "Isn't there anyone left you trust enough to let them see you cry?"

There was, and she buried her face in his shoulder, thinking of what she had lost, what he had lost. He put his arms gently around her shoulders to comfort her, then tightened them as she felt the tears flow in earnest... In the back of her head, she thought a queen should not be seen like this, but he was the only one here to see her. He wasn't bawling like she felt she was, but as he held her close, he wasn't holding back either, and finally she came to understand that he _wanted _them to share their pain.

Slowly her sobs faded. She felt not empty, but purified, perhaps. But she remained in his arms, it felt too good to move.

She turned her head slightly and realized how close his head was to hers. He was looking at her with concern, and she felt like she was melting, under those brown eyes. How did he get under her skin like that? She usually had better self-control.

She met his gaze, and an idea entered her head. If she hadn't been so emotional already, she might never have had the guts to go through with it, but -

She tilted her head back and, sliding a hand behind his neck, kissed him on the lips. Once, twice, then three times, before he seemed to understand that she was serious, and the fourth time he met her halfway, and gave back as good as he was getting. It wasn't their first kiss, nor had he been the first man she'd kissed. But there was something about him that felt... different. She had thought it was because he was foreign, his looks, his behavior, were so different to her.

But his kiss was different as well, and she decided that for right now, it was everything she wanted.

--

That evening, the foursome had dinner, and made plans.

"We're not strong enough for the Moonlight Forest yet," began Duran. "None of us have class-changed."

"And it sounds like getting to the Forest of Wonder will be a chore. We will probably need the help of the other Elementals to do it," added Hawk.

"Well, if the Water Mana Stone has been released, it seems to be the most urgent, and it's the closest as well," Lise reasoned.

Normally Angela was the one who laid out these plans, but tonight, Duran noted, she just slumped in her chair in silence. "So, what do you think about Altena first, Angela?"

Angela froze. Three sets of eyes were on her.

"Angela," Lise said gently, after a long moment of silence. "What is it?"

Angela took a deep breath. Duran grabbed her hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. "I'm not ready to go back home. I - I'm afraid."

Lise's look was all compassion, and perhaps that was why Angela continued. "I left there with people trying to kill me and collect the money. My mother was after me, I couldn't use magic, I had nothing, I _was_ nothing. I told myself I wouldn't go back until I could be everything that is expected of me."

No one had an answer to that. They had all made somewhat similar promises to themselves.

But no one else's life was in danger - except Hawk's.

"Angela," Hawk began, "you won't be able to go home ever, if we can't reach all the Mana Stones. If you were alone, returning to Altena, it would be dangerous, but you're with friends who won't let anything happen to you, and we are going to stay well away from the city."

"Trust in us," he added.

His words were helping, Duran realized, as she relaxed her hold on his hand. Angela straightened in her chair. "Altena it is."

--

Hawk was looking out the window, when he felt her arms slip around him.

He didn't need to ask who it was. "Hello, Angela," he said.

A month ago, he might have thought she was coming on to him. But he and Angela understood each other now, and knew a little play-flirting was just that. Besides, he had seen her and Lise growing closer. She was a positive influence on Lise, he thought - and the other way around as well.

Angela stepped to his side and looked to see what he was watching. Lise stood on the balcony across, today in a silken summer gown that swirled around her with every breeze. Summer was already being felt in Forcena, and the sun radiated over the green hills of the kingdom. She leaned on the railing, smiling, looking into the distance, but he thought looking at her was worth a hundred panoramic views.

"You want her, don't you?"

Hawk was surprised she even asked. "I want her all the time. I can't stop thinking about her. I want her so much it hurts, I want her more every day."

"She's ready for you, you know."

Hawk looked at her. "Did she tell you that?"

"Of course not. She doesn't know it herself, but she is. So why don't you seduce her already?"

"Because I need her to admit it first." Hawk looked outside again, to avoid Angela's penetrating gaze. "And there's more.. there's Jessica... but we were growing apart before... and I don't know if I can ever go home again... and Lise is _here_, and I think we can have something that I never really felt like I could have with Jess."

"What's that?" asked Angela.

"A future," said Hawk.

--

Like Forcena, Altena was largely landlocked. They would have to take the sea route, from Maia to the northern port city, Elrand. With the Altenan harbor being increasingly blocked by ice floes, it didn't promise to be an easy voyage. Returning once again though the caves, Hawk wished dearly they had some form of aerial travel. As the party approaches the gates of Maia, Angela motioned them to a turnoff, much to the confusion of the others.

"Where are you taking us, Angela?" asked Duran.

"Just a little side trip to the beach," Angela said. "King Richard gave me something that might help us get there faster, and if it doesn't work, we've only lost a half hour or so."

The party exchanged glances. Based on Angela's expression, she was up to something. They knew from experience by now that when she was sure about something, she was really sure; and she wouldn't tell them a minute before she was ready.

So they followed her down to the beach, where Angela produced an ancient-looking flute from her satchel. She blew into it once, and as they all paused expectantly, until after a minute there appeared... a giant turtle.

Angela looked incredibly smug.

"This is Booskaboo," she said. "He'll be taking us to Elrand."

"Why didn't Richard tell _me_ about this?" Duran looked almost hurt.

"Who gave a _turtle _a name like that?" wondered Hawk.

The Fairy popped out to provide the explanation. "The Goddess gave him that name, Hawk, so be polite," she scolded. "Booskaboo is one of the personal creatures of the Goddess. There are only a few; another lives above Rolante. But he wouldn't come unless he sensed my presence. I think that is how he saved Angela in the ocean. Richard had that flute because he knew a fairy before, and it wouldn't have done anything for the rest of you."

"Besides, a boat might not be able to get through to Elrand so quickly right now," Angela added.

Duran looked at the turtle dubiously. "Well, I guess we'd better hop on."


	16. Icelands

**16. ICELANDS (LISE)**

True enough, their journey took only a few hours where it might have taken days.

But as they approached Elrand, Angela showed more and more nervousness. As they disembarked outside the town, she laid a hand on Duran's arm, but spoke to the group. "I'm worried what might have happened after the bridge at Forcena. Maybe now they're not only supposed to kill, but dismember me on sight."

Hawk spoke up. "I'll take care of that, Angela. Gossip and rumors are part of a thief's specialty, after all. But maybe you should keep that cloak over your head until we can figure it all out."

She followed his advice, tucking her long purple hair away carefully. Duran and Lise flanked her for safety, as they sought out the inn. They requested a private sitting room as Hawk left, promising to be back within the hour.

That hour dragged on. Duran kept an arm around Angela comfortingly, and Lise tried to distract her friend with light conversation. Duran appreciated what Lise was trying to do for Angela; their growing friendship seemed comforting to the hot-tempered woman.

Angela put up a smiling front, but her constant thumb-twiddling gave away her nervousness.

True to his word, though, Hawk was back an hour later. Angela straightened up in her chair in anticipation.

"Apparently," Hawk began, "now that the energy of the Mana Stone is released, Angela's life is not, in fact, in danger. Instead, a substantial reward is being offered for her safe return."

Lise let out a cry of relief. "Why, Angela, that's excellent news! You could go home... that is... if you wanted to..." She broke off the sentence there. Lise's expression was mixed, happiness for her friend and sudden fear that she might be leaving.

Duran understood how she felt. He, too, was suddenly afraid that Angela might choose to lead them. He was tied to this quest, he had promised his king, and he didn't know when, or even if, he might see her again… and he found he did not like that idea one bit.

Angela looked far away for a moment. "Yes, I _know _that," she said to no one in particular, obviously conversing with the Fairy. Quiet settled over the group, as they patiently waited for the silent exchange to conclude.

Her attention returned to the group before her, and she addressed her friends as one. "Hawk, this is really a relief for me, but not so much as you might think. I can't imagine my mother is waiting for me with tears and open arms, which makes me wonder _why_, suddenly, I am so urgently needed at home.

"We all know Koren is still influencing my mother, and I am beginning to think he is using dark magic to do so. At first I wondered why my mother wanted to kill me, but now I am convinced that it was Koren, so I have to assume that he is behind this new order as well. We haven't heard any evidence that he is gone from Altena, and he had become so influential that I'm sure the news would have spread if he had.

"The worst case scenario, I have to remind you, is that many Mana Stones are still unsealed, which he could sacrifice me for. The best I could imagine is that he has somehow found out about my increasing magic ability, and try either block it, or warp it for his purposes. I think he can only control my mother through her magic bond, and perhaps not being able to use magic protected me. He's been in the country for several years, maybe I unconsciously put up the block for that reason.

"But the Elementals keep telling me I have this great potential. I would be a threat to him then, and I think that's why he wanted to kill me, even using my mother to do it. The release of the Mana Stone's energy would have just been a bonus. I can't imagine I would be any less of a threat now.

"And as the Fairy kindly reminded me - " slight edge of sarcasm there - "she can't leave for another host. The three of you could get by with the Elementals' help, but it would be harder, and I can't leave what I've committed to."

"Very well thought out, Princess," Duran complimented her. He was beginning to understand the title "Princess of Reason."

"Besides," she continued, her voice growing quiet, "I don't know what's left for me in Altena. You three are pretty much my family, now."

Lise started sobbing. So it was that Angela ended up consoling _her_, after that sad speech. The purple-haired woman pulled the blond into a friendly embrace.

Duran spoke up on Angela's behalf. "Well, it appears Angela has determined we will proceed as planned." Lise sniffled, and Hawk handed her a handkerchief to blow her nose.

"We'll have to buy supplies, though," Angela interjected. "The trek through the snowfields will be long, and camping in the snow is no joke. We don't have the benefit of the insulated carriages my mother would use to travel. We'll never survive, equipped as we are now."

"Then that will be out first order of business here," Duran decided. Good thing Richard had provided them with a suitable amount of Luc, as it appeared Angela would not be able to tap the royal coffers.

--

The pile of clothing Angela picked for them was not insubstantial.

Thick leggings, and warm stockings underneath. Slim, warm shirts made of something called "nilon", which Angela insisted was not a product of magic but rather of Altenan technology. Long, heavy jackets lined with fleece. Fur-trimmed gloves and hats. The Sorceress at the shop added spells to make it all, including their shoes, waterproof.

Lise looked in the mirror. Wearing bright pink instead of her favored greens and blues, she thought she could almost pass for an Altenan. Angela herself had chosen vivid burgundy-red, explaining that the bright colors were not vanity; the clothes were made that way so their bodies could be found if lost in the snow.

What a chilling thought.

Hawk seemed the most uncomfortable in his red clothes. "I feel like I'm in a suit of armor," he said, from inside his scarf.

"Well, I have to leave _my_ armor here, and I can tell you, this is nothing." Lise thought Angela would have to argue with him more about that, but Duran had quickly understood that metal would get quite _cold _in this weather, and exchanged it for the russet-brown clothes that quite complemented his auburn hair. They weren't really expecting to encounter much resistance; as the Mana Stone was unsealed, there was no reason to guard it.

Angela finished by choosing tents and sleeping bags made not of cloth, but some shiny-looking material that felt as smooth as silk. Another wonderful Altenan invention. Lise resolved to employ some Altenan scientists in her new administration; apparently magic was only one of their ways to survive in this brutal environment.

"Where can we safely leave our other supplies?" Lise wondered, as they began to gather up the substantial pile of items that would not be travelling with them.

"I think I know somewhere," Angela told her.

She led them to the door of a small house at the edge of the city. The sign read: _Rosa, healer and dispenser of magic potions. _At their knock, a middle aged woman opened the door. Recognition crossed the woman's face at the sight of Angela.

A young girl ran out past Rosa. "Anny!" she cried happily. Angela reached down to hug the child. It was a surprisingly warm gesture, coming from the temperamental mage. Rosa quickly invited "Anny" and her friends in for tea. If she was surprised to see several foreigners accompanying her, she gave no sign. Briefly, Angela sketched out their request, explaining only that she and her friends needed to travel the snowfields for a few days, but gave no further detail about herself or any of her companions.

"We'll stay at the inn ourselves, you don't have enough room here."

Rosa looked at her. "That might be best," she said slowly. Lise knew that it would be safer for the woman not to be discovered harboring the princess under her roof; but she wondered how much Rosa herself knew.

Bidding goodbye, the now-warmer foursome returned to their rooms at the inn.

--

Despite the clear skies the next morning, only a few minutes south of the town, the weather started to get colder. The magic that Angela said was used to keep the cities temperate must still be in effect over Elrand, even if weakened, because out here, the Sub-Zero Snowfield began to demonstrate the truth of its name.

Still, Lise thought it was beautiful. Rolante got some snow in winter, being so far up, but it was too close to the tropical zone to really gather more than a light dusting. Here, a thick blanket covered the ground and trees as far as the eye could see. Where the sun had briefly melted the snow on the trees, turning it to water, the drips had refrozen into tiny icicles that refracted light in a million colors, giving the illusion of small lights covering the forest.

Hawk did not seem to be enjoying the scenery. A desert dweller, he was handling the cold the worst of them all. Angela had finally taken pity on him and given him her own scarf, so he now had two, while Angela herself seemed to be comfortable enough without. She had even opened the buttons on her coat.

"How am I supposed to be stealthy in all these clothes?" came a voice from inside the scarves.

"There is no stealth crunching through deep snow. But no one will be able to sneak up on us, either," answered Angela.

Icy creeks criss-crossed their path. Surprisingly, this path appeared to be well-traveled, as sturdy bridges led them over the water. The local wildlife was largely amphibious and reptilian, and though it was necessary to fight off a few of the more aggressive, most went splashing into the chilly rivers at their approach. The land on the shores of the rivers was certainly not very hospitable, only a few patches of brown soil even suggesting that it might be spring.

"Angela, what is it like here in summer?" wondered Lise.

"The trees here are able to survive, they turn green in summer. Some more of the soil underneath can be seen, and some hardy ice-flowers grow. But the snow never disappears completely." There was a sense of pride in her voice. Lise suspected Angela would not have it any other way.

--

As the gray sky turned grayer, Angela called a halt and decided it was time to make camp, before darkness crept in. Duran quickly set up their tents, while Hawk created a firepit from stones at the riverbank. Lise found a few suitable branches, and Angela's air magic was able to fan the flames into a reasonable fire.

"I sure wish I had learned fire magic already," griped Angela. But they had not met the Fire spirit, and the Elementals did not understand the complex patterns used in each other's spells. It seemed only humans had the capacity to synthesize, and even combine, the different elements.

This was out of necessity, the Fairy had told her in response to her silent and impatient questioning. The spirits were all meant to be part of a whole; by themselves each were only a piece. The Goddess had split her power that many ways for a reason, so no one element could dominate. The Fairy derived her power from the Goddess as well, but she was only able to keep the other elements in balance, while having no elemental powers of her own. No wonder she couldn't teach Angela a damn thing.

Humans were different, she explained. They had been created in the Goddess's image - even the men, apparently the Goddess was in some sense both male and female, though when the Fairy started talking about "nuclayic acids" Angela rapidly got lost in the explanation and told the Fairy to stop. Humans did not have the level of power that the Goddess did, but were able to tap into the forces of all elements as She did.

"And looking at what a mess some humans have made of that, you can see why the Goddess confines her spirits." Thinking of Koren, Angela had to agree.

--

When he saw the two tents set up, Hawk had naturally assumed they would be splitting between men and women.

Surprisingly, it was Lise who offered to share with him. He wasn't sure that even had anything to do with him, most likely she just wanted to give Duran and Angela some privacy, but he was hardly going to argue.

It most definitely was not a scene of seduction, that was for sure. For one thing, the tent blocked sight, but not sound. For another, the ground was hard and uncomfortable, and it was damn cold in the air. Never mind taking off their clothes, he wasn't sure they would be taking off their _coats _tonight.

Well, eventually they did let go of the coats. As it turned out, the magic blankets Angela had bought were in fact quite toasty. By mutual consent, they had tossed the blankets over each other, sharing one big double blanket instead of huddling separately. Lise snuggled underneath contentedly, as Hawk tucked the blankets under the two of them. They talked for a while, but even Hawk started to feel the press of night.

He thought about what Angela had said before they left Forcena. "She's ready for you." Was she? He tentatively slipped an arm around her waist.

Lise wiggled closer to him without objection. He fell asleep holding her close, the scent of her hair in his nose as he drifted off.

--

On the morning of the third day, Lise was surprised to see a stone statue of the Goddess, out in the middle of the snowfield. The small valley it was located in was sheltered, with a large brook running nearby. It wasn't one of the statues that glowed with a golden light, that were found often in cities and palaces; those had been blessed by the priesthood of Wendel. This was a simple country shrine. But obviously the people who had once used it for worship were gone.

Angela confirmed her guess. "This was one of the major mountain towns, but it faded hundreds of years ago. This recent drop in Mana is severe, but truly Mana has been fading for centuries. My mother is the strongest sorceress of her generation, but even she can only maintain the climate in a few cities. The mages of legend were able to make huge parts of this continent livable."

"Maybe the Goddess is getting old." Hawk had been joking, but a silence fell over the group. What if he had hit on the truth? What if the Goddess could age and weaken? And then, could she, in fact, die?

Angela summoned the Fairy so they could put the question to her together.

"I don't know, I really don't know," the Fairy answered. "It's never happened, so how could we be sure? Perhaps not even the Goddess herself knows that."

--

It took five days before Angela announced they were nearing their destination. The map said so, of course, but Angela was relying more and more on a growing sense of Mana energy. The route was about as long as from Maia to Forcena, she claimed, but trekking through snow doubled their travel time.

And as they approached the cave containing the Mana Stone, they were greeted by... another Goddess Statue.

"You know, the statue sort of looks like Lise," Hawk joked.

"I'm no goddess," Lise said, feeling slightly scandalized.

This one glowed with a soft golden light. Lise touched it in wonder. "The blessing was renewed recently."

"My mother came to this stone to be raised Grand Divina, right before her final coronation - she wasn't considered a full queen without the final Gift of Mana," Angela explained. "I was five at the time, and I was here too. It sticks out in my memory because after that, my mother had less and less time for me."

Lise thought of her own mother, who had died when she was only slightly older than Angela had been then. If Angela's mother only knew what it was like to never have a chance to know your daughter...

"After her raise, my mother had the Priest of Light - a much younger man then - bless the statue. She wanted to show that as queen, her reign would enfold all, equally. Obviously, some things have changed."

"Why is it all the way out here?" mused Hawk. "Didn't you tell us we would be miles away from Altena?"

"As a society that channels Mana directly, instead of through the Goddess, we're rather secular," Angela said. "This statue is for those who want to worship near the site of the Mana Stone. We actually don't have any statues in Altena city proper, and only one in the castle, but it's in one of the rarely-used wings."

The Fairy, who was floating beside them today, looked affronted.

"We have _three _in Rolante," said Lise piously.

"Forcena has one in the castle, and one in the highlands for those who are out of the city for a while," announced Duran proudly.

"Well, we don't have one in Navarre either," said Hawk.

"Of course _you _don't." Hawk's agnosticism was expected, but Lise had not pictured Duran to be especially religious. Hawk only shrugged and grinned in response to her implied scolding. "Well, none of us actually _doubt _the Goddess..." Lise continued.

"Especially not with her messenger floating by Angela's head right now," interrupted Hawk.

"...so why don't you just try it? Here, give me your hand." Hawk happened to be closest, and Lise gently pressed his hand against the statue.

Hawk looked vaguely bemused, but slowly his expression gradually became one of wonder. A minute later, he stepped away from the statue. "I feel... refreshed," he told the others. "I feel almost _warm _again."

Angela, not to be outdone, tried for herself. The feeling was… soft, caressing, almost sensual without being sexual. It seemed to settle into her skin, a gentler version of the out-of-her-head euphoria she remembered from the sleep flowers of Rolante. She had to agree, there was something mysterious there that even her magic senses could not identify.

Duran followed her example, and once all had their chance to renew, they turned towards the path ahead.

--

Duran led them around the cliff to see a familiar black figure.

"Hey, it's him! The knight we saw at the Corridor of Wind!" he warned his friends, and rustles and clanking told him they had switched to battle-readiness. But he stood in front of them all, facing the dark knight warily.

He had thought the figure was mute, perhaps only an ethereal image, but it spoke in a very real voice. "Give it up. We are already well on our way to entering the Holyland... and the Sword of Mana will be a sacrifice to our great leader, the Dragon Emperor!"

Duran flew into a rage. "The Dragon Emperor?! My father _died_ to defeat the Dragon Emperor, years ago!"

"What? Wait a minute... are you Duran?" the black knight asked, the mysterious figure looking somewhat… confused.

"How did you know my name?! Who the hell are you?!"

"Both excellent questions," Hawk observed.

Duran jumped forward, swinging his sword, but the figure had already started fading away, if it had ever been there it all. He fell to his knees in frustration.

But the robots that appeared from behind the rocks were very much real.

"Machine Golems! Altenan attack robots! They can't cast magic, unless I cast it at them first!" wailed Angela. "They can store my Mana and reform it, sending it against us!"

"Then we'll have to beat them the old-fashioned way," said Duran, stone-faced. The Darkshine Knight - the nickname he had mentally given the mysterious figure - had pissed him off, and he was ready to fight. These metal buckets were as good as anything. His first swipe took a metal arm clean off, with a shower of sparks.

With Angela effectively sidelined, unable to do more than make a few ineffectual swipes with her cane, they were evenly matched, three to three.

Hawk used his short swords to nick the metal joints where rubber covered wires. Anyone else trying this would have been suicidal, for he had to get extremely close to catch the precise spots; but Hawk's quick speed let him flit around the robot like a hummingbird, catching the machine as easily behind his back as when he faced it. Duran saw more sparks out of the corner of his eye as Hawk's quick cuts began to make it through the barriers.

Lise quickly learned from them both. Her spear was not as precise as Hawk's knives, but she did have the advantage of range to jab at the same spots Hawk was targeting. In between, she used her sharp blade, and the reinforced handle, to slam the robot.

Reassured that his teammates could handle themselves, Duran focused on the machine in front of them. He blocked a hard projectile, shot at him from the golem's arms, with his shield; then took advantage of a moment's delay to swipe at the legs, knocking it into the snow.

The thing would not give up. Its last remaining arm swung at him, knocking the breath out of him. As he fell forward, dropping his shield, he cursed his lack of armor, but he recovered himself quickly. Grabbing his sword with both hands, a momentous two-handed blow took off the robot's head.

He heard Angela's voice a few feet to the right. "Get out of the way, Duran."

Lurching his body to the left, a hard roll took him away from the machine. He got to hands and knees in time to see Angela cast what looked like a minute amount of light between the wires.

First there was crackling, and then without warning, an explosion. Sparks fell to fizzle out as they hit the snow, and smoke billowed, slowly diffusing into the chilly air.

The charred metal that appeared behind the smoke didn't appear to be getting up this time.

With his foe vanquished, he looked to see how his friends were doing. Hawk appeared to have cut every wire in the second robot's body, making Angela's light-trick unnecessary. The crackles were dying out as the robot lay in the snow.

Lise seemed to be having the most difficulty. Though her enemy showed dents and exposed wiring everywhere, it was still on two feet. She was too far from Hawk and Duran for them to reach her quickly.

"Can you do that again, Angela?" she yelled.

"If I can kill it in one spell, yes, otherwise it will be able to retaliate," Angela called back. Lise nodded, and turned to run towards Duran. The final golem followed her, but the machine was not especially fast, and Lise quickly widened the distance.

"Step back, everyone," Angela warned, as she repeated the spell. "I'm going to have to cover its whole head." A moment passed, and the machine stopped, looking around for the attack it could sense, but not see. A second later, the resulting explosion indicated Angela's success.

--

"What did you do, Angela?" Hawk asked.

"I adapted some light and air energy to cross where there was no wire."

Of course she did. That would have been anyone's first idea, naturally.

"Only, I did it backwards, so... you can see what happened. It's kind of like how we make lightning spells, though I can't make a full thunderstorm yet." Angela grinned, very pleased with herself.

Hawk felt regretful for his sarcastic thoughts. She had finished off two of the three, after all. "It was really amazing, Angela." Lise caught her breath before nodding her agreement. The wizard positively beamed at the compliment.

Duran was the least joyous over their success. He just sat in the snow morosely. "If the Dragon Emperor is alive, then my father died for _nothing_! I don't believe this!"

There was nothing to say to that. They didn't know the truth any more than he did. It was left to Angela to walk over and take him in her arms, lifting him to his feet.


	17. Dark and Light

**17. DARK AND LIGHT (ANGELA)**

Once Duran was consolable, Angela led him, and the rest of the party, past the piles of wrecked metal and into the Cave of Ice Walls, home of the Mana Stone of Ice, shortly beyond.

It was just as she recalled, in those memories fourteen years ago. Only, it seemed smaller now. But she was shorter then. She had grown, in more ways than one.

The fairy emerged, Angela merely ignoring the slight discomfort this time. "Just as we feared," the Fairy spoke sadly. "The stone's energy has already been released."

The clean, cool light that they had seen radiating from the Mana Stone of Wind was not here. The light of this stone looked angry, confused. As it flickered, colors danced on the icy walls behind them.

Angela hoped no one she knew had been the sacrifice.

Come to think of it, who did it? She thought her mother would have gotten to it weeks ago. If so, why was the dark knight here? Did he _know_ they were coming? Who was he? She mulled it over.

Before she reached a conclusion, Hawk coughed, and the Fairy turned to him. "You know, Fairy, maybe we _are_ going about this the wrong way... Clearly, they're draining these Mana Stones faster than we can get to them."

Lise caught on. "What if we do as the dark knight suggested.. let them open the door for us, and get the Sword before they do?"

"That won't work," the Fairy replied. "The elementals can open the _gate _safely, but with the Stones being released so quickly, the Goddess is becoming increasingly weak, and her grip on the Holyland more tenuous. I am afraid if they find the last one, and release them all, there won't _be_ a Holyland behind it. And if the Mana Tree _can _die, there will be nothing to stop someone from killing it."

"Right... sorry." Angela apologized on behalf of her party. She had been thinking along some of the same lines herself, but the thought that after all this time getting help to enter the Holyland, there might not be a Holyland to get to… was chilling.

Unfamiliar sobs resonated through the cavern. Angela turned to see an ice-blue mermaid floating in front of her. Tears dripped from her eyes, freezing as they hit the cave floor into prisms of glass. "The Mana Tree... if it dies... all dies..."

Angela felt suddenly reverential. Even her mother had never met Undine, the Water Elemental, in person - such as it was.

To her surprise, the mermaid looked down at _her_. "Child of water, child of ice," she began, "you have a fire in you as well. But I will not leave one of my own alone on this quest." Undine floated over to her and kissed her on the forehead. Despite the coldness of her lips, the kiss sent warmth through her; she reveled in the feeling for a moment, before remembering what else she was there for. She opened her mind to the power Undine was trying to teach her; and the patterns came clear to her, like a flash of light.

The feeling ebbed, but the Elemental spirit remained, smiling gently on the humans surrounding her Stone. Between the four of them, the Fairy, and Undine, it was quite a party.

With Undine's power slowly fading inside, Angela made a decision. Actually, she had made it as soon as they walked in the cave. "I'm going to do it." 

"Do what?" Duran looked confused.

"Class-change. My mother did it here, and I'm getting stronger and stronger. If she could do it, so can I." Angela jutted her chin out stubbornly.

"But can you do it if the stone's power has been released?" Hawk asked. Angela drooped.

"Fairy?" Lise asked.

"You can," the Fairy said. "You don't need the Stone's power itself, the power comes from you. All you need is the conduit to the Goddess, and you can use that until the stone shatters completely. It doesn't even need to be a Stone; there is a statue in the Holyland that can be used for the same purpose."

Undine spoke up. "These humans are my child's companions. I would like them to see, and understand, each other's choices. Whichever path they choose, they must understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, if they are all to work together."

"That's forbidden!" the Fairy said. "The bond must only be between the chooser and the Goddess, nor can they reveal the choice to anyone before the moment of choosing!"

"That's true," Undine conceded. "But the two options itself are not secret. Nor is personal knowledge of each other forbidden. These four are already close. They are all strong in mind and body, Fairy, and you should put more faith in them."

Angela started. Did Undine just put down the Fairy? Was that _allowed_?

"But," Undine continued, "I will only do this so they may all work together. All must agree."

Angela looked at her friends.

Duran was grim. "Anything it takes."

"I'm ready," Lise added.

"Well, if they'll let a thief like me join this honored company, I won't say no." Hawk answered last, grinning.

Undine nodded to Angela. She stepped up to touch the Stone. The dancing lights enveloped her.

--

She felt as if she were becoming smaller and smaller. She could see spaces between the lights. She started to understand; most of the world was empty, dark space, with small spots of light comprising what she knew of as solid. The Mana flowed through these empty pockets. Darkness was not evil, it was merely the space in between the light; and light was only a spot where there was no emptiness.

One could not exist without the other; in fact, one created the other, and vice versa. The real danger was the absence of this balance, the loss of the separation, without which light and dark would cancel out, matter and antimatter, leaving nothingness.

Angela - or rather, Angela's consciousness - debated in the void. There was a time, before she learned a speck of magic, that she would have given anything to be able to raise to Sorceress. Not only that, her mother, and her people, would have expected it.

But here she was, far from home, and she was facing not the problems only of Altena, but of the world. The choices for the Queen determined Altena's path, both literally and symbolically; but both were choices for Altena, and its years of carefully researched magic. The Queen was too valuable to experiment with unproven magic spells.

She didn't know if she would ever be Queen. She wasn't sure she could even return home, not if half what she suspected about Koren was true. She was something else, now; she was here for the world, not Altena.

There was another path for her, though it frightened her. The path of the Oracle was dangerous. Rather than using magic in the proven ways, knowing exactly how to control it, the Oracle allowed magic to delve and pass though her, unleashing its power. The results were sometimes unanticipated. Few could control that raging tide. That's why only a handful in each generation even tried, and even then, most of those were likely to die, or go insane.

She suspected Koren had chosen this path. Come to think of it, that could explain a lot.

Something told her as well that Altena could not continue on the path it was on. Koren was not meant to be their leader, she was sure of that, but they might need the power of an Oracle to shift direction. The Oracles, particularly those who made the even more difficult second change, were the ones from who all new magic uses originated. If it did not destroy them first.

So, fearfully, she chose her path, and received her Gift.

--

She came back easily, like waking up in a warm bed. A very warm bed. She could feel the power coursing through her veins.

Then she saw the looks on her friends' faces.

"What did you see?" she demanded.

"We didn't see," Hawk said, "we _felt_. Oh, and there was a couple minutes to talk about it afterward."

"Oh, Angela, you were so scared," Lise added, quite agitated. "And yet you made the choice anyway."

"Were you told why I chose as I did?"

"Not exactly, only flickers," admitted Hawk, "but enough to understand why you might make the choice, and where it can take you."

Duran had been silent. His expression was carefully neutral, but by now Angela could recognize even his most subtle signs. He was afraid.

"I'm going next," he blurted out.

Well, that was how Duran dealt with fear.

--

He didn't know where he was at first, but he reasoned it out, looking up at sparkling multicolored cliffs. He was in the Gemstone Valley, and he was now looking at not the Mana Stone of Ice, but the Mana Stone of Earth.

There were only a few people there, but he saw a younger-looking King Richard. And that woman over there, just like the portrait of his mother, which his aunt had kept over the fireplace after her death so he would never forget her...

"Go on, Loki, so we can be brothers in battle."

Duran was experiencing his father's class change.

He could feel his father's emotions as if they were his own. Loki wished he could choose the Light, but knew what the responsible choice was. He was the best swordsman in the kingdom, and he needed to take his strengths as far as he could go. He was making his choice, but for something outside himself.

Loki reached out, and suddenly Duran was alone again.

Duran thought about what the Priest of Light had told him, about how his emotions would lead him to make the wrong choice if he was not ready. He was tempted to follow in the footsteps of his father and take the role called in Forcena the Gladiator, a fighter for the sake of fighting. He wanted that power to conquer his enemies. His anger wanted him to make that choice; his sorrow wanted to relive his father's experiences.

But he started to understand. His anger would blind him. His father had chosen Dark, but had done so knowingly. Duran feared he could never choose Dark and know it was a rational choice.

He had been fighting so long with anger. But to be stronger, he needed to learn a new way to fight. He needed to fight with honor and truth, he needed to have control of his emotions, or he would be as bad as his enemies.

He chose the Light.

--

"A Knight of Forcena." Lise raised her spear in salute.

Hawk looked perplexed. "Weren't you always a knight?"

"There's a difference between calling yourself a knight, and living like one," Duran responded. "Being a Knight has responsibilities of its own."

Hawk still didn't seem to get it, but just shook his head.

Angela came up and put her arms around him. He thought she was congratulating him, but she put her lips very close to his ear, and spoke in a voice so low that no one, not even the Fairy, could hear.

"I was the only one who saw your father," she said.

Suddenly, Duran was afraid again.

--

Lise handed her spear to Duran. "It's going to be hard to put both hands on the stone holding it."

In the royal bedroom of Rolante, her mother sat, bouncing her new brother up and down. _This is not right_, some part of her felt. She was suddenly terrified her mother had died in childbirth. The leader of the Amazons, dying not from battle but from birth. Some older Amazons said that was the harder battle by far.

But no, there was her mother, tossing her long brown hair as she laughed. Her green eyes, so like Lise's, grew bright. "Here, my little Rieszella, take the baby, and I will tell you a story of the Goddess's Gift to us." Minerva only used her daughter's regal name teasingly. It was derived from the Queen's Amazon name, Riesz.

Little Lise had heard the story before, but never grew tired of it.

After the previous Queen - her grandmother - grew ill and passed away, Prince Joster, though a young man already, was left an only child. He could be King, but the army must be led by a Queen. Without a sister to act as co-ruler, this must be achieved through marriage.

Riesz was young, beautiful, and well-liked. She was skilled with her lance, and dedicated to the Goddess and her Amazon sisters. But most importantly, she was intelligent, and her sisters knew they were choosing a leader for the future.

But Riesz had not undergone even her first change, and an Amazon Queen needed the Gift of the Goddess to rule. She found herself trekking into the Corridor of Wind with her friends, and the first time she met her new husband, was in front of the Mana Stone that day. He was there to watch her become a Valkyrie. It was in her raise that she saw a great danger would befall Rolante before long, but it would emerge prouder, and stronger.

She only knew Joster in passing, but after she emerged from the reverie, and returned to see the proud look on the attractive young man's face, she fell in love right then.

Six months of intense training followed. Not just in body, but in mind. And for her final Gift, Joster stayed behind, the eve before the wedding, while her sisters took her up the mountain at midnight.

She would not say more about the final change. "It's only to be discussed among those who have experienced it."

But when she dressed in her wedding clothes that day as the sun rose, she was a Star Lancer.

Her mother's voice started to trail off, and Lise realized none of it had happened.

Her mother was not there to help her figure out her choice.

Lise considered for a moment. It was tempting to choose the darker path, and become a Rune Maiden, a small, but valued - and dangerous - part of the Rolante fighting force. The Rune Maidens had used their magic to weaken the enemy during the Navarre assault, allowing many more to escape than might have otherwise; and they were the ones who had founded the resistance base. She would help make sure her castle was never conquered again.

But she had to know what she was, and what she was not. Perhaps if she had been an ordinary Amazon, she would have considered. But she was a queen, and being a queen, her choice set the example for her people, and her spear-sisters. As much as she valued her Rune Maidens, she could not condone an entire army based on what even other Amazons saw as stealth and trickery. She decided, as she had always know she would, to make the choice that a true Amazon Queen would.

--

Hawk was looking at her differently. Like she was a Queen. She did not like it.

But Angela met her eyes with understanding. The two royals both knew they had made their choices for their country. Rolante was safe, and Altena had a long road ahead of it.

Duran hugged her, not as Angela had hugged him, but a big bear hug, buddy to buddy. She found that a little more reassuring than Hawk's intimidated expression.

But turning, she forced herself to address the man who seemed like a stranger at this moment. "You're the last."

He nodded, looking troubled.

--

Hawk was torn. He wished he could choose the Light, and be at peace again. It seemed he had been disturbed and disoriented for as long as he could remember, since Flamekhan had returned from his pilgrimage to the desert with Bigieu, and the people he loved started to change.

Was he supposed to be seeing something? It was like being in the Valley of Flames at night, only the flames burned blue, gradually illuminating ghostly visions on the stony floor around him.

There was Eagle, bleeding over the floor. And Jessica, tears running down her face, thinking he killed her brother, because the curse would not let him tell her the truth. Flamekhan, withered and sickly. Nikita, being pelted with stones. The ninja of Navarre, their eyes glazed over from Bigieu's evil magic, even in death showing no expression as he cut them down in Rolante.

Further past. His parents, dying of the plague on the streets of Sultan when he was barely old enough to talk. He could not remember them himself; the memory was pieced together from what others had told him. If Nikita's parents, selling their wares in Sultan that week, had not brought him to Navarre, he would have died of exposure himself.

The present. Angela, facing Koren as a lightning bolt shot through her. Duran, beheaded by the Darkshine Knight. And Lise, beautiful Lise, lying on the sacred ground of the Holyland. Her final resting place, as the dark shadow of a monster loomed behind her.

He knew the Light choice would give him magic, magic that he could use to help his friends. But he would find himself sitting back while they fought, and he could not accept that, could not accept anything less than fighting back with all he had. His strength was in his speed, his stealth, and in order to enhance those skills, he knew what had to be done.

He thought of Lise, and wondered if she would understand. At the same time, he could not be her equal otherwise. Where her strength seemed to come from the Goddess herself, all he knew how to do, he had learned in the dark.

And with his choice, he left his memories of peace, and his best friend, behind.

--

Lise stood facing him when the ice cave returned to his vision.

She was looking at him with those wide green eyes of hers. His deep brown looked back. They had made very different choices. Would this drive a wall between them?

He knew if they could not accept the things about each other that the class change had shown, there would never be anything more between them.

But slowly, gently, her arms reached out, and she took her hands in his. He let her pull him towards her. She did not embrace him, but laid her head on his shoulder, as gentle as a child.

The meaning was clear. She trusted him, as much as ever. Even if he had chosen the darker path.

They were different, in more ways than ever, yet somehow together, all seemed right.

.


	18. There's a First Time for Everything

**18. THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING (LISE)**

The journey back to Elrand was just as long as the way in, but much calmer. Even the wildlife seemed to restrain itself.

Or perhaps it was their own subdued mood. It might have been easier if they had not changed together, but as it was, they had all become different people, in a certain sense. Few people ever had to make such a choice, much less four together.

It was like they were getting to know each other all over again.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was Hawk who started to break the ice. His savvy humor broke smiles, then laughter, on his companions, and began to pull them out of self-contemplation.

But it was an irritated Angela who finally confronted the issue.

It was the evening of the third day after they had made camp, and they had sat down to what promised to be another brooding-silent dinner together.

Angela set down her plate, and stood up, crossing her arms. "What is _wrong_ with us?"

Her companions looked up, startled.

She continued. "We've all gained an enormous amount of power. We're all happy for each other, we're all friends, so why are we acting like strangers all of a sudden?"

Guilty looks met her tirade on three sides. Finally, Lise spoke first.

"Because now we know, that our fight is for real."

There it was. No gloss, no hiding. Deep down, they had all started to become afraid. Feeling their new power only made them realize that there might be something strong enough, that they would need that power to fight it.

"Perhaps now is a good time to plan," Duran ventured.

It was a long night by the fire, discussing their hopes, their fears, and everything in between. But finally they were talking again, and listening to each other, and they were on their way, stronger than before.

--

Hawk tossed on his bed, in the room he shared with Duran in the Elrand inn. Duran had left to go to Angela. He wondered why those two bothered to get separate rooms at all.

He should have been glad for the privacy, with the girls getting their own rooms and all, but tonight he was restless. He jumped out of bed, as energetically as first thing in the morning, and pulling on his clothes, headed towards the stairs.

His first thought was to head towards the common room and get a few cups of wine, but at the head of the stairs, he turned towards Lise's room and saw a light coming from under her door. She usually slept and woke early, so as late as it was, this was a surprise. Perhaps there was better company than the common room after all.

Things had been so hectic since their arrival in Elrand. The trek across the snowfields had been brutal. The evenings they spent together at first had been wonderful, but the awkwardness after the class change had carried over into his relationship with Lise, as well. It had taken a few days for the party to bridge their gaps again, and for him to hold Lise at night like before.

He had missed her, her gentle ways, her beautiful laugh - when he could distract her from her worries. Duran said he seemed to be the only one who could do that. Well, she was worth trying it for.

Stopping in the kitchen downstairs, he grabbed a pitcher of Altenan icewine and two goblets. He returned to see the light still on. He knocked, hesitantly. What if she wanted to be alone? He waited an anxious moment with no answer from within; then suddenly the door opened and he was presented with Lise, not in her Amazon gear but in a long silk robe, her hair loose, streaming down her shoulders.

He wanted to stop and just stare at her, but he regained his composure. "I saw you were still up," he said, to the beautiful woman before him. "I couldn't sleep. I thought we might have a little wine."

She smiled that sweet, mysterious Lise-smile he knew well. "I can't sleep myself tonight, for some reason. Come in."

So he entered her room. Though she had her own, it was not enormous, just one chair and a bed with stand. He set the wine on the bed stand and lay on the bed. There was more than enough room for two. Or five, in a pinch. Lise lay on the other side and he filled a goblet for them both, passing it to her. "Thank you," she murmured, sipping the wine with a sigh of pleasure.

They talked comfortably, secure in the friendship they had developed over the past few weeks. And more, he thought. She kissed him freely, snuggled against his body, but she had not offered to go further. Hawk knew there was no one else he could feel like himself with, and he didn't want to risk damaging their emotional bond. At the same time, he wanted more from her, and having her this close to him… it was clouding his head.

After a couple hours, the wine went to his head, but strangely enough his clouded thoughts felt more clear than ever. He realized he had never asked her the question he most wanted to know, and the liquid courage made him blurt it out.

"So, Lise," he ventured, "have you ever been in love?"

She reacted more strongly than he expected, shock and some embarrassment crossing her face, and she paused before answering. "Well, you know, with my responsibilities, it's hard.

"It's hard to find the time, It's hard to find someone who has the time to find for you, to find out everything you have to handle. And there is always the problem of inequality, when you are an Amazon. You need a man as strong as yourself, in order to respect him. That's not so easy."

"Have you found anyone like that?" Hawk pushed.

"Well... I thought sometimes, but no one, truly..."

"Lise, you're a virgin, aren't you?"

She was often shy with such personal questions, but despite her blush, she answered. "Well... yes..."

Hawk laughed lightly, then seeing her mortification, cleared his throat. "It's not that, Lise, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I just thought is was funny you were so awkward about something that was so obvious, and so... you."

She relaxed slightly, and he continued.

"Have you ever wanted to be with anyone that way?"

"Yes... noo... I don't know." He had to stop pushing her like this. She saved him, though, by changing the subject. "Have you ever wanted to be with anyone but Jessica?"

He wouldn't pretend he was someone he wasn't. "I have, I've been with a number of women, it's pretty normal in Navarre," he replied. "But once Jessica and I decided to get together, it felt like such a right and natural thing to do, I didn't really want to chase women anymore. I felt like she was enough for me, that we could be close together, that there wasn't anyone else I wanted that way."

Lise was nodding in understanding, but suddenly stopped as he added, "Until now."

"W... what?" she stuttered.

He sighed, placing a hand behind her neck and turning her face to him, forcing her to meet his eyes. He knew, she knew, he knew she knew, could she not know he knew that she knew? "Are you going to make me say it, Lise?" he said, looking at her longingly.

Her expression told him that's what it would take, to make happen what he really wanted. He had toyed with the idea for a while, but now, being close to her, feeling the warmth of her body even without touching her, he didn't want to wait any longer. He wanted nothing between them. He wanted _her_.

"I want to be with you in _every _way."

She inhaled suddenly, catching his meaning; she had to have known, but he knew it might be more than she was prepared to admit to. Still, he couldn't let go now. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it, too."

"Well..."

He was not letting her get away with it. "Tell me what you thought."

She looked almost strangled for a minute. But then the Amazon Lise came out, the Lise he knew who wasn't scared of anything, including her own feelings. She looked him in the eye this time. "I thought... I thought it might be nice, with you... I've never met anyone I feel this comfortable with...

"But why me?" she continued. "I don't know anything, I wouldn't know what I'm doing..."

He put his finger to her lips. "It doesn't matter." he said. "I would be honored if you would let me give you your first experience."

She didn't add to the sentiment. She didn't need to. He looked into her green eyes for a long moment, the two of them lying side by side, then he propped himself up on his elbow. His left hand stretched over to her other side to support himself as he leaned over her. She stayed where she was, meeting his gaze, without fear, without embarrassment this time.

He didn't always kiss her, he didn't always know the reaction to expect from her. But this time, her eyes read clear; they knew even if she did not. He leaned over and kissed her, ever so gently, softer than the kisses he usually gave her. Then again, and again.

He wanted the signal to continue, and she gave it. Reaching up with her right hand to grasp his neck, she pulled his upper body towards her. He squirmed slightly until they were both comfortable in the way they fit against each other. He didn't know who started it, but they were kissing more and more deeply. She shed her robe without resistance.

But when his hand went to the hem of her nightgown, she flinched. He jerked back.

"Lise," he whispered to her. "I don't want anything you don't want too. Please, don't be afraid."

Perhaps that was what she needed to hear, for a minute later, her hands were reaching for his waist, slipping under his shirt. He sat up slightly, letting go of her reluctantly, but she pulled and yanked at his shirt until it slipped off over his head.

He watched her as she observed him, realizing she had never seen him in even a partial state of undress. The Navarre women had often seen him bare-chested. They all gazed at him appreciatively, even possessively. But Lise only looked at him in wonder. She could've seen a half-naked man before, he supposed, but not this close... He held still, looking at her looking back at him, then reaching one delicate hand to caress his chest from top to bottom. It was driving him absolutely nuts, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to wait and move forward at her pace. She probably didn't even know what she was doing to him.

Finally she sat up to lean against him, and he wrapped his arms around her to feel her close. She touched his waist hesitantly as her eyes, full of nervousness, met his. He knew what that meant, and again his hand went to her clothes. This time she did not resist him, and her gown slid off easily. Suddenly, he was looking at all of her. She took his breath away, her defined body, strong yet shapely, perfect in every way. He removed the rest of his clothes, not taking his eyes off her, and kissed her gently as before; he didn't want her to get scared of him now.

This time, he let her take the lead. He wanted to see how she felt, what she wanted. Her kisses, her touch, grew more and more urgent; he waited, and didn't pressure her to give more than she was ready for. She breathed hard in his ear, but he knew if it was going to finish, it was his turn. She couldn't bring herself to ask. But he couldn't go on without her permission, her desire.

"Lise," he whispered. "Tell me what you want, please..."

"I want this!" she whispered back. "I want this to happen!"

--

Hawk looked down at the sleeping Lise, laying in his arms.

He hadn't planned for this to happen tonight, though truthfully, he had wanted it from the first day they met.

Although he had found her attractive from the start, as time went on, he had wanted less of her body and more of her soul. He had an uncomfortable feeling he knew what that meant.

She had responded to his touch, given him as much as she could, been with him in every sense of the word, but he couldn't forget the look in her eyes. He knew she was afraid, but in her eyes was nothing but absolute trust in him. He'd never seen anything like it from a woman before, and something in him was determined that he would never betray that trust, never fail her, never hurt her.

--

Lise woke first. She always woke earlier than the rest, years of Amazon training had seen to that.

But her training had never planned for her to wake up with a man next to her.

She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at Hawk, fast asleep. She thought she would be embarrassed at the things they had done together the night before, the things _she _had done, the things he had made her want to do. But this was Hawk, and that made all the difference.

She didn't know if she had looked at him for too long, if he had felt her eyes upon him, but he opened his own eyes to look at her with that penetrating gaze that always made her feel like he understood everything about her. He didn't need to speak, but after a moment, he reached out to touch her. He caressed the side of her face, playing with her hair. It was too much, she wanted him to do that forever.

So she turned away, got up and walked to the window, looked out at the frozen landscape of Elrand. Amazing how a fresh snow had managed to fall in spite of the heat inside. It looked quiet, and peaceful... She dared not turn back.

Yet, she felt him approaching.

--

Hawk watched her as she walked to the window. He didn't know how to stop her pulling away from him. The only choice was to go to her.

She did not turn as he walked towards her, so he slid his arms around her waist, looking outside with her. That, she did not resist. He relished the feeling of holding her, even in silence, the hushed quiet of the early-morning snow suiting the mood.

After a long minute, he caved, and spoke first.

"Are you happy with what we've done?"

At that she wheeled around to face him, concern on her face. "Of course, Hawk, my dear friend," she spoke. "It was exactly what I wanted, the first time."

"More importantly, it was _our _first time together," he replied. But she cringed away.

"What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath and turned back to him. "It may have to be our last time."

He felt struck. "Whatever do you mean?"

"You're with Jessica? Or have you forgotten?"

He hadn't. Or maybe he had, they had been growing apart for a while, even before he had been apart from her for so long. He wished he could argue with her, but she told the truth. In the Thieves' Guild, they taught you to twist the truth in knots, but you never lied, and you especially never lied to those close to you. So he remained silent while she turned back to the window.

Another long minute, and he spoke. "If I were free, would you come to me again, like last night?"

"In an instant." Her voice was barely audible. "This, I promise."

He would have to accept that, for the moment. But he couldn't forget how he felt with her. He hadn't realized how he would feel being that close to her, closer than they had ever been before, closer than she had been with anyone; and she had wanted it to happen with him. He couldn't leave without saying how he felt now that he knew for sure.

As they gazed together at the dawn, he leaned as close as he could to her ear.

"I'm in love with you," he whispered slowly.

The effect on her was overwhelming. He saw the change in her eyes as she turned to stare at him in shock, her body becoming limp in his arms.

He had already broken his promise. He had already hurt her.

Hawk let her slip out of his embrace. He turned and left in a hurry, lest he want to comfort her while she cried.

--

Duran returned to Angela's room after getting dressed. He liked to accompany her to breakfast, and today he had something to tell her.

She appeared, ravishing as always, no sign of the way they had been clawing each other the night before. He took her by the hand as they turned to go downstairs.

"By the way," he told her, "Hawk didn't sleep in his bed last night.."

She turned to him with that mischievous smile of hers. "Most interesting," she said.

--

Angela led Duran across the common room to a large round table, deliberately. The morning's events were sure to be intriguing.

While they nursed their breakfast beverages, Hawk arrived first... He always woke up last, but threw himself together so fast it didn't matter. He plopped down next to Duran with his usual rakish smile. But was there a hint of strain around his eyes?

Maybe ten minutes later, Lise showed. Normally she would have sat herself next to Hawk, and smiled and laughed with him. Today she seated herself to Angela's right, a position that unfortunately positioned her directly across from Hawk. She became intently involved with her porridge. Hawk shushed for a minute, for once, and gazed wistfully across the table. Most intriguing, indeed...

Hawk tried to crack jokes, but his delivery was strained. And without Lise's laugh, the laugh that seemed to only show for him, it was not the same.

--

Duran sensed something was up, but he didn't quite get it. He would have to ask Angela later, he was sure she had it figured out already. It didn't seem to be an especially comfortable meal.

Angela tapped his leg under the table, drawing his attention. "Why don't we discuss the next plan, Duran," she purred. She usually liked to lay out plans herself, but today she wanted him to do it. She sat silently observing the others as he spoke.

"Well, we'll stay in Elrand one more day to rest and gather our supplies, then go to Sultan and stock up for traveling into the desert..." Duran began.

--

After everyone broke away from the table, Angela watched where Lise was going. After observing the body language at breakfast, she had some questions to ask, for certain.

Lise did not head back to her room immediately, but instead to the lounge, a fire-lit, comfortable room with a view of the mountains. It was there Angela caught up with her. Lise seemed as preoccupied as she was earlier.

"Lise," Angela called. Lise turned absentmindedly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lise mumbled. Well, this was Lise. She would admit her hurts when rabites grew legs. Angela decided to be more aggressive.

"It's Hawk, isn't it?" The look on Lise's face changed, serious now. She pushed harder.

Angela stepped closer towards Lise. After initial tension between the two women, they had come to respect, understand, and even love each other. Lise was tougher than she was (Angela reluctantly admitted), but every once in a while she seemed to be her younger sister. Especially when it came to men.

"You were with him last night, weren't you?" she ventured. The other girl flinched slightly. That part was easy enough to figure out. She baited Lise, to get her talking. "He was your first, wasn't he?

Lise still did not speak. She didn't have to, as Angela kept going. "He was forceful, wasn't he? You did more than you wanted? It was too much for you, you're sorry now, isn't that right?"

"Noooo!" Lise finally cried. "No, no, no... I mean, I did, but... It wasn't like you said... it was wonderful..."

Angela stepped close to Lise, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Then what is it, Lise?"

"He - he said he was in love with me." And that was it. Tears came streaming down Lise's face. "But there's Jessica, and I can't... I won't..." And she turned to sob on Angela's shoulder.

Angela felt her pain; at the same time, she thought she understood how Hawk might be feeling. She remembered the push and pull between her and Duran, the agonized feelings when she thought he was rejecting her. So she held Lise while she cried, wishing she had an answer for the two of them.

Poor girl, Angela thought, she doesn't even know she's in love with him too.


	19. Desert of Scorching Heat

**19. DESERT OF SCORCHING HEAT (HAWK)**

Their final stop in Elrand was to retrieve their regular armor from Rosa's house. Angela offered that the healer could sell their winter items, but Rosa insisted she would keep them in the basement if they needed to return. She sent them on their way with a packet of herbs. "My special secret," she said with a wink.

Duran was grateful to this woman. She had saved Angela's life, after all, and helped again, without questioning who they were or what they were up to.

As they prepared to leave, Rosa spoke to Angela. "They say the Princess is never coming back. Myself, I think she must be doing something very important first, and then she'll come home." There was a hint of inquiry in the healer's eyes.

If Angela was surprised by the question, she gave no sign. "I think so too."

--

The trip to Sultan, gateway to the desert, took two full days. It might have been possible to do it in one long one, but, by mutual consent, the party stopped in Palo for the night of the first day. Sleeping on the turtle did not sound terribly comfortable. Angela thought of the seven to ten days it would have taken by ship, and shuddered. She didn't think she would easily be able to return to travel by boat again. Even if it did mean sharing a comfy cabin with Duran.

As soon as they left the beach, and no longer felt the cool ocean breeze, the blistering heat began to hit her.

"How do you _live_ here?" she asked Hawk.

Hawk shrugged. "Pretty much the same way you live in Altena. We adapt. Most people stay indoors for the hottest part of the day, but when it's cooler, like now, they come out."

"You mean it gets _hotter_ than this?" Angela was disliking the desert already.

"At least you can find a patch of shade here. In Altena, there is nowhere to escape the cold. The Navarre desert palace is cool, being hewn out of solid rock... but I don't think we'll be going there." Angela remembered suddenly that they had arrived in a country where killing Hawk would net someone a substantial amount of money.

Lise apparently had not forgotten. As they entered the city proper, she maintained a white-knuckled grip on her spear, and her manner was poised for action. A lioness, protecting her mate.

The rumors they heard in Sultan were disturbing. Monsters and ninja overrunning the desert, attacking traders, even women and children. One man claimed his entire ship had been hijacked by ninja. Hawk, now a Ninja himself, looked distressed at hearing what had become of his former comrades.

An old man even claimed that the Navarre Sand Palace had been taken over by demons. Once, she would have thought him crazy; but after meeting Bigieu, Angela thought it could be true.

--

Just as the snowfields had gotten colder only a short distance away from Elrand, so too did the true desolation of the Desert of Scorching Heat begin a short ways from Sultan. Lush tropical greenery faded to gray, stony cliffs, scraggly vegetation, and sand, sand everywhere.

But unlike Altena, here the change was natural. Hawk knew the oases of the desert had once been everywhere, the desert towns founded next to them. Only, the oases were drying up, and the towns were struggling. He wondered if the Sand Palace might have to start taking a more active role in keeping the country alive. The Thieves' Guild was primarily an economic entity, engaging in all sorts of business licit and illicit, but it had avoided anything resembling a true governmental role, its members priding themselves on belonging to no king or nation. They might not have that luxury for too much longer.

At a familiar fork in the road, Hawk tensed up. "That's the route to the Sand Palace. We're actually very close..."

It was Angela who came up to put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. She was the one who knew what it was like to be driven from your home by people you were supposed to love, to have them think of you as a traitor... If he had been fleeing from a conquest of his home by enemies, as in Rolante, he could have lived with it; but this feeling was something else altogether.

Night started to close in on the desert, and the chill filled the air. The cold of a desert night could rival that of Rolante's, if not Altena's.

He turned to his friends. "If we go this way, we'll be about an hour and a half out of our way, but we will reach the Oasis Village Deen. I think we might be better off resting there before heading to the Valley of Flames tomorrow. It's almost another full day to get there."

"Wouldn't it be cooler to travel by night?" That was Angela, missing the Altenan weather already.

"Not just cooler, freezing. And the monsters are more dangerous at night, not to mention that's when Navarre sends out its patrols." The last was what worried him most. Not so much for himself, even though they would surely kill him - but for his friends, who had no knowledge of the skills the ninja had on their home ground.

Nods from the others, and they headed to the village.

He had not been back to Deen in a while, but the town seemed to be shrinking worse than Sultan, without the port traffic to maintain it. The oasis was still there, for the moment, a small lake of aqua-blue water feeding its life into the town.

The small inn did not have dining facilities at this time of night, so the group shared a meal at the only available place, the tiny local pub. All around them, tidbits of conversation spoke of the same rumors they had been hearing in Sultan, travelers attacked in the desert, even demons in the fortress. Perhaps it was better that they were not going there. Hawk shuddered to think what his home might have become, under Bigieu's control.

He had found out for himself about Bigieu's connection to the underworld. The discovery cost his best friend his life. He let the conversation in the pub become only a buzz in his ears, and glumly wallowed in his memories.

--

It was an argument with Jessica that had led him to visit her older brother that night. Flamekhan, a leader elected and respected by his people, had begun to act ruthless and ambitious, suggesting Navarre increase military strength and seize the surrounding areas to become a full-fledged country. When Hawk voiced his concerns, Jessica had resolutely defended her father.

"Can't you _see _the oases drying up, Hawk?" she had shouted. "Father is going to have to make some tough choices. We can't live here much longer."

"Don't tell me you want to be a _princess _now!" Hawk yelled back.

The slap she gave him then - surprisingly strong for someone almost a foot shorter than he was - convinced him to leave the room.

Unlike his sister, Eagle agreed that there was something unnatural about the way his father was acting. "I think it's _that _woman. He only began acting like this when she arrived," the other young man had said. "Maybe we better find out what's going on." Hawk nodded in agreement, and together the two snuck through the fortress to investigate.

Hawk would never forget what the two of them found when they snuck into Flamekhan's room that night. His adopted father lay naked in bed, staring at the ceiling. Hawk had suspected all along that sex was one of the ways Bigieu kept close to the Navarre leader, and this only confirmed it for him.. But Flamekhan's eyes were lifeless, even as his chest rose and fell.

Bigieu stood next to the bed, and so did a deathly pale man with burning red eyes. The devil was the one who saw him first, and the woman followed his gaze to see Eagle and Hawk.

"An interference... I'll let you handle it," the pallid figure said, and walked through the wall to disappear.

"Now, boys, some things are best kept secret. You'll just have to forget what you've seen here." Bigieu smiled seductively. She took a step forward.

"Watch out, Hawk, she's got some spell up her sleeve!" Hawk ducked below the level of Flamekhan's bed. Eagle said a magician had to see her target to hit it.

He could see Eagle, still. The green shimmer of Eagle's countermagic spell surrounded him as he prepared to protect himself, but nevertheless, dark energy surrounded his best friend. When it dissipated, Eagle had the same deathly pallor of his father. Whatever she had done, it was no ordinary magic, for Eagle's skills to leave him so defenseless.

Hawk jumped up and ran to his friend. "Eagle! What did she do?"

It had only been the hours of practice the two had engaged in together, that allowed Hawk to dodge Eagle's knife before it drove into his heart. He winced at the pain as it sliced his right arm instead.

Hawk told himself this was not truly his friend before him. But even fighting back with all his skill, the taller man pushed Hawk closer and closer to the wall.

With little room to maneuver, he smacked Eagle with the flat side of the blade. Eagle crumpled to the floor.

"Hawk... what happened..." A sliver of consciousness return to Eagle's eyes.

The seductress only laughed. "Nice trick, but how about this?" Bigieu stood across from Hawk over Eagle's body. She waved her hand, and Eagle convulsed. One scream was all he had, before blood trickled out of his mouth, and his eyes glazed over in death.

"You _BITCH_!" Hawk yelled, hearing the guards rushing in.

As they entered, Bigieu knelt by Flamekhan's bed. "_Help_!" she shrieked. "I was trying to soothe Flamekhan's illness, but Hawk came in here planning to kill us both! Look what he did to his best friend!"

Hawk removed his hand from where he had knelt down to touch his friend's lifeless shoulder. "I didn't - "

That was all the time he had before two burly Rangers threw him to the ground, forcing his hands into the small of his back. They were not brutal; these were men he knew well. "Be silent, Hawk," one said, not without sympathy. "We'll have to sort this out later. For now, just go with us, okay?"

"Eagle said he molested Jessica too! He's a monster, I'm telling you! I have to go help her!" Another guard nodded to Bigieu, and her skirts swept behind her as she left the room. As the guards hauled him to his feet, Hawk looked towards her to see cruel smile cross her face.

--

"Hawk?" Lise's voice brought him back to the present. "The villagers are saying that the fires in the Valley of Flames have become particularly intense."

"Well, there's no way to avoid the place," added Duran.

"If the Mana there is starting to run wild, that's all the more reason to hurry," Angela concurred.

He began to talk to his friends to distract himself. "This desert was once a lush tropical forest... but over the centuries, the desert took over. I realized when Angela told us about the deceased village in Altena, that in fact we have experienced a decline in Mana over hundreds of years as well."

"It seems that some nations are being hit harder that others," observed Lise.

"Some nations were created in more difficult places," Angela replied. "I suspect that forming a nation in a tropical forest or seasonal snowfields did not seem so bad, but our ancestors could not have predicted the challenges a loss of Mana would give us."

"I think that the leaders of the world's kingdoms are going to have to start cooperating, in order for any of us to survive. Instead, we fight each other." As she spoke, Lise looked at Angela. Angela was not yet a queen, as Lise was, but someday the two women would be on an equal footing.

Angela caught Lise's meaning, and the first expression was that of the girl he had first met in Jad, scared, unprepared, and hiding it all under seductiveness and feigned confidence. But under Lise's eyes… she softened a bit, and wisdom settled her features into a calm understanding.

She's changed, we all have, Hawk thought to himself. She'll be quite a force one day, when she finally truly accepts herself.

"We'd better retire for the night," suggested Duran, interrupting his train of thought. "It'll be a hotter trip tomorrow, from what Hawk tells us."

--

Lise had been quiet for much of their journey through the desert. She felt Hawk's apprehension, for all he tried to hide it. Angela had been frightened in Altena, but her determination had taken over. Hawk was not just afraid here; something made him terrified.

And she suspected that something was named Jessica.

There had been no word of the girl who was so close to Hawk; all the rumors out of Navarre had been vague. Lise might have suggested storming the Sand Fortress, but she was afraid Bigieu's strength there had become too great. The rumors of demons suggested an unknown power at work.

As long as Hawk's relationship with Jessica remained unresolved, she knew they couldn't be together, not in the way they both wanted. But he had already brought so much to her life, if anyone tried to collect that bounty on his head, her spear was going right through him. She didn't even realize her expression had become deadly.

--

Hawk led them to the entryway to the Valley of Flames, only to find they were not alone.

Bigieu stood there, accompanied by the ninja they had fought in Rolante, Bill and Ben. But with them was a short, blue-haired desert girl Angela had not seen before. She was obviously a captive, her dress torn and her hands tied behind her.

"Jessica!" Hawk flew towards her, overcome by rage.

"Hawk! No!" the girl called back, struggling in her bonds.

Bigieu looked at Hawk, an evil glare in her eyes. "I've removed her curse, Hawk. After all, I couldn't have our lives linked that way, when I sacrifice her to unseal the Mana Stone. Bill, Ben, guard the entrance!" And with that, Bigieu and her captive were gone.

Hawk ran down the sandy hillside, only to be blocked by the two ninja. "Bill, Ben, get out of my way!" But their expression was vacant. "Come on, guys, it's me! We were a team!" As Angela and the others caught up to him, she could see tears forming in his eyes.

"Hawk, give up," the two intoned, echoes of each other. "We've gained dark power you cannot hope to compete with." And they began to fade into each other, as they had in Rolante.

"This is getting redundant," Angela commented, to no one in particular. She had some new dark power of her own. Thanks, Shade.

The ninja barely had time to combine before Hawk struck first. She remembered him telling her that the razor-sharp stars he had bought in Sultan were not safe to use without the advantages of speed and sight that the class change gave. But his new abilities now sent the projectiles flying with uncanny accuracy towards the combined construct. Angela winced as slices appeared all over their enemy's body.

Hawk followed up by diving straight for their foe. He had been fast before, but now he was so fast that she barely saw his silhouette before he sliced his knives once, twice across the super-ninja's body. Suddenly, there were two where before there had been one.

She was starting to understand the benefits of this class change stuff.

Duran and Lise backed up Hawk. Duran was as strong as ever, maybe stronger, and he was able to achieve not just single slices against the enemy, but triple-slicing combinations that looked to be doing major damage to Bill. Lise was swinging her spear wildly, but her aim was true, and Ben could not avoid the powerful slashes of her spearhead.

Angela stayed back; she was just as able to fight from her defensive position above the hillside. It was the bond with Shade that felt the strongest to her, now, and it was that bond she tapped into.

The dark energy she created drove like swords into Bill and Ben.

At first they seemed stunned, but to her chagrin, they recovered quickly. Angela was disappointed. The chaotic energy she had unleashed was the strongest she had unleashed yet. But another idea began to form.

Hawk was unnaturally lucky, and he seemed to be able to avoid magic spells as easily as weapon slashes. Bill and Ben were ninjas too, perhaps they had that ability to dodge magic as well, and that's why her spell failed.

She looked at her cane, which so far in this fight was nothing more than a prop she waved while composing her spells. What if she took that same energy, and directed it through the staff?

She ran down the hill into the fight, forming the spell as before while she ran.

One of the ninjas - Ben, she thought - jumped out at her. As she raised her cane, she thought he gave an evil grin, thinking she was just about to give him a slap with a stick. It was difficult, but she forced herself to pour her magic energy into the weapon at the last second as she swung.

The burst of energy that hit the ninja looked like a shower of stars, and sent him flying against the wall. His head slammed backwards against the rock, and he slumped into unconsciousness.

Bill, meanwhile, had taken note of this new threat to his brother. She began to prepare a spell for him as well, but it was not yet ready when a rain of sharp stars, the same as Hawk had used, flew towards her.

Angela screamed as the knife-edged shurikens slashed her body, a thousand places at once. Her spell dissipated as her concentration was lost behind a wall of pain. She crumpled, and looked down to see blood dripping from her hands, her thighs. She could feel it on her cheeks. Touching her face, her hands came away covered in blood.

"Lise, cover me!" She heard Duran's voice, and he was there beside her.

He looked into her face, where tears were running down her cheeks, already mixing with the blood. She was lucky the shurikens had missed her eyes, but she was afraid of what she must look like, scars crossing her face, her beauty lost forever...

But Duran held her face in his hands, indifferent to her wounds and the blood now dripping onto the metal of his gauntlets. "Angela... I haven't tried this yet, but..."

A sudden sensation enveloped her, somehow wonderfully warm and refreshingly cool at the same time. As it faded, her pain disappeared as well. She put her hands to her face to feel only smooth skin, and she looked at Duran in shock. _Healing magic... ?_

A quick kiss on the lips was all Duran had time to give her. "The battle's not over yet, Angela."

And indeed it wasn't. With the two of them sidelined for the moment, Hawk and Lise were barely holding their own. She ran past Duran, back to where the battle was thickest.

Four to two, the odds were now in their favor, but the ninjas hadn't been kidding when they said they had become more powerful. Even the increased skills of the party were barely slowing them down. Angela could not cast her spells fast enough; often, before one was formed, she was forced to resort to merely whacking a ninja with her cane.

They had been successfully separating the two, when somehow, in the chaos, Lise found herself sandwiched between Bill and Ben. There was no space for anyone to get between them. The Valkyrie was in trouble.

But Lise did not look afraid. She never did when fighting. Grasping her spear in both hands, she whirled it around her head to catch both enemies with powerful strokes, knocking both to the ground breathless and unmoving.

Finally, both their foes were down, but...

Lise looked to Hawk for the signal.

"Finish it, Lise." Hawk looked pained.

Lise nodded grimly. She drove her spear through the heart of one, and the other shuddered and convulsed momentarily. She went to the other and repeated the motion, and they watched both ninja simultaneously breathing their last.

Lise fell to her knees. The scene made them all morose, Hawk most of all. Those men had been his friends, whatever they had become.

Hawk leaned over the body of one, hand reaching out to gently close the man's eyelids. He said not a word, but Lise carefully approached to kneel next to him, and suddenly, he grabbed her to bury his head in her shoulder, she gripping him with all her strength. Silence spread over them, as Angela and Duran stayed a respectful distance back.

Finally, Angela interrupted the dreadful quiet. "Where did you learn the healing light, Duran?"

"Um... I've sort of been perfecting it since we left Elrand. I was scared to use it, but when I saw you hurt like that..." He twitched slightly, and Angela understood perfectly. Though Duran seemed to be over his magic prejudice, as long as _she _was the one using it, finding out he could use magic as well must have been very frightening for him.

"I just felt... after the class change, I felt Lumina show me this through the bond. I wanted to ask you, if that was the same thing you felt."

It sounded exactly right. "But have you felt that from any of the other elementals?"

"No," Duran admitted. "I think only Lumina might be teaching me magic." He seemed somewhat grateful. "She told me that a true Knight was as holy as a Priest, and healing was part of that."

For all that she knew the advantages of magic, Angela's selfish side was somewhat thankful. She would still be the primary wizard, even if now she had to share the Elementals with her friends. She wondered if Hawk and Lise would gain any magical abilities as well.

--

"Hurry!" Hawk yelled, picking himself off the ground and immediately changing focus. "Bigieu has a head start!" He was already running towards the cave mouth as he said it. The others quickly gathered themselves.

They ran after the Ninja, and straight into the gates of the underworld.

Or so it seemed. What else could this place be? The narrow path followed along tall cliffs, while the steep drop to their right led into a lake - not of water, but of flame. Every minute or so, a fountain of flame spouted up, and they often had to dive to avoid it.

The path descended downwards, thankfully meandering behind a wall of rock before they could get too close to the "lake's" surface. Duran was struggling under the heat of his armor. He could feel the moisture of sweat on his chest under the breastplate, but he didn't want to make the mistake again of being caught without it. As they fought their way through the fire-breathing lizards of the valley, Duran had a thought. "If Bigieu could repel these creatures, then she could be far ahead of us by now." 

"I'm trying not to think about that," replied Hawk.

Still further down they went, closer to the valley floor and more fire-lakes. Seeing a turnoff into a cavern, Hawk ducked inside. "This way, everyone, I remember where this goes!" Entering the cavern, the group was surprised to find - a Goddess statue, glowing softly golden.

"Don't tell me Navarrese come _here_ to worship," groaned Angela.

"Actually, it's more of a traveler's stop. You might not make it through the Valley of Flames without some refreshment."

Duran was certainly ready for it. His armor had not grown any easier to bear since entering the sweltering valley. He wouldn't be able to heal anyone if he passed out from the heat. If the Goddess had given him this new role, it was his responsibility to fill it.

Touching the statue, he felt a cooling sensation penetrate his body, as if just diving into a pool of water, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped aside to let the others have their turn. After the rest of the party had renewed themselves as well, they exited the opposite side of the cavern, which opened onto a wooden bridge, suspended dangerously above licking flames.

And there, in the dead center of the bridge, was Bigieu. She was holding Jessica, clearly too weak to fight back, precariously against the rope railing.

"Don't come any closer, or the girl goes into the flames!" Hawk stopped at the edge of the bridge, already halfway between the others and Bigieu. He clenched his jaw in frustration. Duran could see his anger building; he could make an irrational move any second now. Angela and Lise, at his sides, stood uncertainly, as they all tried to gauge the situation.

The dart whistled from behind them, to take Bigieu in the shoulder.

From behind them?

Bigieu crumpled, grabbing her shoulder in pain and letting go of Jessica in the process, the short girl falling to her knees herself. In a split second, Hawk had placed his body between the two, Jessica shaking herself off slightly, clearly in shock. Bigieu turned towards the others in angry frustration, then her eyes widened at something beyond them.

Duran looked around to recognize the feline face of Nikita.

--

Hawk had a murderous look on his face, his daggers out. The only reason he had not plunged them into Bigieu's heart was that he was the only thing standing between Jessica and the sorceress.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Hawk," she cackled evilly, one hand to her shoulder. "I've already unsealed the Stone while you were fighting your way down here. I had planned to use Jessica's death, but you four were kind enough to provide two strong, fresh souls for me to use."

"Bill... Ben..." He hadn't wanted to finish his former friends, but he had been left no choice… On the other hand, if Bigieu had not used their souls, Jessica would have died for sure. Why did it have to be one or the other? And why was he happier that two had died, in order to save the one girl?

He had thought Bigieu to be seriously injured, but she suddenly rose, and fled.

Hawk wanted to follow her, but his first priority was to make sure Jessica was fine. If she wasn't, nothing else mattered. He turned his attention to the girl beside him, not even turning at the sound of Nikita's familiar step arriving behind him.

Nikita seemed to be reading his mind. "The necklace is off, so there's a chance she'll recover. The closest town is Deen. I'll take Jessica there, don't worry... just go ahead and catch Bigieu!" Hawk knew if he could trust anyone, he could trust his oldest friend. He gazed one more time, reluctantly, at Jessica's unconscious form, before Nikita swooped up her small body and ran off with the speed only the cats could muster.

--

As soon as Nikita spirited Jessica off, Angela was off and running, even before Hawk could fully shake off his shock.

She hoped her companions were following, especially when she came upon the Fire Mana Stone, its unstable energy escaping into the air as its light sputtered crazily. Bigieu stood right in front of it.

"I told you, _magician_." Bigieu used the derogatory term. "My master, my Dark Prince, the Holyland is ours!"

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Angela mentally slapped herself. Didn't she have a more clever comeback? But Bigieu had already levitated herself above the ground, fading away in midair, just as she had done in Rolante.

The Fairy emerged, and flew to the stone with seeming desperation. "Bigieu is trying to get into the Holyland... Just like in Altena... it seems everyone is after the Sword of Mana! If the Sword falls into the wrong hands... there would be another worldwide catastrophe! We can't let that happen! We have to hurry up and find the rest of the spirits!"

"That's what we're _trying_ to do!" Hawk cried, a measure of his tension that he lost his temper. Lise and Duran circle the rocky platform studiously… but there was nothing left to fight.

"I hear ya!" said a voice from across the chasm. A lizard made of fire floated over to face the Fairy. Something like the creatures that had attacked them earlier, but with a cheerful, human-like face. "That girl is going to _pay_ for what she did to my Mana Stone!" He looked over at Angela. "Here, Oracle, have some firepower!"

Angela straightened expectantly, and she felt the power of Salamando join with her. Something about it... the fire, the chaos... it felt right. She remembered what Undine had told her: "There is fire in you as well."


	20. Magic Awakens

**20. MAGIC AWAKENS (HAWK)**

Hawk set the pace for the trip back to Deen. Even with Jessica in Nikita's capable hands, she was not out of danger yet. With Salamando's power joined to theirs, the valley monsters shrunk away, and they easily climbed back into the desert. Night had covered the desert, and the coolness made the travel easier.

Hawk would have probably run the miles to the oasis village, but Lise gently offered that he could go on ahead and the rest of them would catch up. That slowed him down; his friends could not match his speed. As much as he wanted to get back to Jessica, he could not abandon his friends in the desert. They still proceeded rapidly, but he gritted his teeth in frustration at the delay.

The journey back to Deen took half the time it had that morning. As they reentered the town, Hawk could wait no longer. He sprinted ahead to the house he and Nikita knew well.

The woman at the door recognized him, and ushered him quickly downstairs. He flung open the door to where Nikita was watching over the still-unconscious girl.

Jessica. Eagle had hoped that she and he would marry one day; he said he would not trust anyone else with his sister. And now, with Eagle gone, it was only him. His friends, Bill and Ben, had saved her life with their deaths. If Jessica died, he had failed them all.

He heard his friends file in behind him, but he could only look at Jessica, and Nikita. Nikita's eyes reflected his own worry. But a murmur pulled them both towards the bed.

"I think she's coming to, Hawk," said Nikita.

Jessica's sleepy voice mumbled.

"mmmm... Hawk... "

--

Jessica woke hazily, to see Hawk standing up over her. Her first thought was that it was her brother, Eagle, but as consciousness slowly came back, she remembered her brother was gone. But Hawk, Hawk was here, he had saved her.

"She's coming around! Damn, I wish one of us knew how to use heal light! Where's Duran when we need him?! Why did he fall so far behind, with that stupid armor weighing him down?" said a deep woman's voice. It seemed to be coming from a beautiful woman with purple hair.

"So this is Jessica?" asked another woman's voice, higher in pitch. Jessica turned slowly to glimpse another woman, this one a strong-looking blond, hanging back. Something in the tone of the woman's voice made a thought appear in her head, but the idea and consciousness began to slip away again.

Vaguely she made out Hawk's voice. "Nikita, what am I going to do? I don't want to leave her, but we have to get the Sword of Mana, or many others will die."

"Bro, I'll stay with her," said Nikita. His voice, she knew as well as Hawk's. "I'll take care of her. All you have to worry about is Bigieu," she heard Nikita say, and the blackness closed in again.

--

Duran burst through the door. "Hurry, Duran, we need healing magic here!" cried Angela.

With a nod, Duran knelt down next to the bed, and closed his eyes in concentration.

The same blue glow that had shimmered around Angela in the desert showed around Jessica, but rather than enveloping her, it seemed to fade away almost as soon as it appeared. Once, twice, three times, but still the same.

Duran's brow beaded with sweat, but Hawk felt the need to push him anyway. "Hurry, Duran, we're losing her!"

"Hawk, he's already using all the magic strength he has," Angela said sadly. "It may be that the effects of the curse cannot be healed with regular healing magic."

"Then... there's nothing we can do...?" Angela nodded, slowly, reluctantly, and Hawk took in her response for a moment.

Then, without warning, he slammed his fist on the bedside table, rattling the dishes that rested on it. "_Damn it all!_ How much more is she going to take from me?" He heard the whine creep into his voice involuntarily. "_Why?_ Why is this happening?"

In the meantime, Lise had knelt down next to the body of his best friend's sister. As Duran broke away, preparing for another attempt, she placed her hands on the girl's brow.

"Rest a moment, Duran," she said absentmindedly. Hawk leaned forward. What was Lise doing... ?

She seemed only to be soothing the girl for a moment, then suddenly they all saw it. A shimmer, almost metallic, enveloped Jessica's unconscious form, surrounding her as the healing magic had not, then not so much fading away as seeming to sink into her. Hawk put his head to her chest. She was breathing easier, and color had come back to her cheeks. There was only one explanation.

"Lise... you can use magic now too? And what kind of spell was that? I certainly never saw Angela using anything like that!" Hawk heard his voice tumbling over itself, wonder and gratitude filling it all at once… The answer didn't matter. Jessica was safe, Jessica would live.

Wow, this class change thing had all sorts of surprises.

"It was something Gnome has been trying to show me..." Lise replied. "It's protective on the outside, almost like magical armor, but it also works on the inside, it boosts your heart, your immune system... We couldn't heal her, but with this maybe her body can fight off the effects of the curse itself."

Hawk was overwhelmed. He threw his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Lise."

--

"Enhancement magic," announced their wizard-in-residence.

They turned to Angela, her tone now knowledgably lecturing. "It's not widely used in Altena, no more than healing magic, but we know the concept. It's a big help to fighters. Lise, since when do Amazons use magic?"

"You don't use healing magic?" New healer Duran actually looked affronted.

"You don't need it when you throw spells from across the room, instead of running up to get a sword stuck in you," Angela told him.

"We don't usually, Angela," Lise began. "It's not automatic when you class change. I think you have to have some type of latent ability, and we only use it in desperate times, so we don't become too dependent on it. I thought I might be able to use it... my mother could, and she could use it on many people at once... and sometimes when you read Mana signatures, Angela, I thought I could see it, too... but I didn't want to say anything until I was sure."

Angela hadn't been able to hold herself in her skin, waiting to see if she could use magic. How was Lise so patient? "Is this all you've learned so far?"

"Yes, Gnome said something to the effect of, they wanted to see how I handle this and break me in slowly."

Angela nodded. That was good sense, not to force a new magician. She herself had moved far in the space of a few months, but she had learned the mental techniques involved since birth, practically. Lise was basically a ten-year-old learning to form her first ball of light.

She was a little in awe of Lise's sense of responsibility. Faced with the woman who was her rival for the man she loved, Angela might have just let her die. Well, she wouldn't really, but she would have definitely toyed with the idea.

--

The herbalist, in whose basement Nikita and Jessica stayed, insisted that Jessica would recover faster, the more she slept.

So for two days, she had only been allowed to wake up enough to be groggily fed water, broth, and more sleep and healing potions, before returning to deep slumber.

Hawk was frustrated that he had not been able to talk with her, and his companions were now insistent that the group move on.

"You can't do any more for her now, Hawk." This from Duran, who placed honor above all else.

He could not stay, he had made a promise to them - and an Elemental Spirit - when they class changed. Even if he was willing to break the promise, he suspected the repercussions from the Spirits would be dire.

So here he found himself, forced to say his goodbyes to an unconscious girl he loved. As Nikita stepped out of the room to give him privacy, he thought to himself perhaps it was better he had not had the chance to speak with her. He wasn't sure what he would say.

He remembered the night in Elrand with Lise. Had it really been only a week or so ago? Jessica had been so far away then, and he hadn't seen her in so long, that it was easy to see nothing but Lise. He remembered telling her he loved her, as he had once told Jessica. He remembered touching her, kissing her, as he and Jessica once had. Only, there was something different with Lise, and he wasn't entirely sure he knew what it meant.

"Jessica...," he began, "I promise..." What could he promise, that he knew he could keep?

He was torn between the debts he owed to her, to Eagle, and what he wanted for himself. How could he meet both his obligations?

"I promise to watch over you as well as Eagle did." He hoped that promise, at least, he could keep.

He went upstairs with a thieves' salute to Nikita. Stepping outside into the morning sun, already blazing, he saw his friends, poised to go, waiting only for him.

Wordlessly, they all walked together out of the Oasis Village Deen. Lise did not try to touch him, or even to talk, but she walked side by side with him, and somehow that was enough.


	21. Death in the Endless Night

**21. DEATH IN THE ENDLESS NIGHT (ANGELA)**

The two-night stay in Sultan did wonders to improve Hawk's jovial mood. Although, Angela recognized the subtle signs, a strain around his eyes, a slower laugh, that showed when his good mood was being used to cover up hurt.

And if she could tell, she knew Lise definitely could. Lise, however, was not coddling him, but instead forcing herself to behave as normal as possible, so her own worries would not trouble Hawk more. It seemed to be helping. Angela was impressed with Lise's self-control.

It helped to focus the party towards their next objective.

"The Moonlight Forest," Duran said. "Well, with the class change done, we should be strong enough to face the beastmen."

Jinn had supplied a new trick up the Valkyrie's sleeve as well. She had experimented with the speed-increasing spell on Hawk. At the inn, watching Hawk tear across the sitting room and back had been enough to break them all up into laughter.

Some impromptu general magic guidance had helped Lise, too. As Lise practiced the techniques Angela had taught her, her spells not only strengthened, but they _looked _better when she cast them, too.

"How do we get there?" asked Angela.

"I've got the map," said Hawk. "It's going to be a long route back, but we can turn inland at the Mintos river and enter at the city there."

"Is it really always dark?" wondered Lise. "That must be an exaggeration."

"I've never been there," Hawk answered her, "but I've met Rangers who have, and they say it's true."

The Fairy piped in, having joined them for this meeting, though so far all she had done was to hold down the corner of the map. "It's the power of the Mana Stone. The Moon Spirit directs the flows that way for the benefit of the beastmen."

"What's the connection between beastmen and the moon spirit?" asked Angela.

"Wolves are nocturnal creatures. They're one of Luna's favorites. She's actually not so fond of humans."

That bothered Angela a little bit. An Elemental might dislike humans? What if she didn't want to join them?

Nevertheless, at the crack of dawn the next morning, they were on the back of their friendly turtle, following Hawk's route to Mintos.

They were able to arrive at Mintos without a stop, although the sixteen-hour trip was their longest single leg yet. Angela supposed it didn't really matter what time they got there, it would be nighttime in the town anyway.

--

Mintos surprised them all. The town was a mix of humans, and beastmen. None of them had seen beastmen up close since Jad, and to their surprise, these beastmen were friendly and hospitable.

"We're pacifists," one explained. After talking to a cat in Navarre, talking to a wolf did not seem so strange. "Even Altena did not give us any trouble when they passed through."

Angela froze. "Altena?"

"What were _they_ here for?" wondered Duran.

"We don't know," said a second wolf. "Why would Altena start a war with the Beast Kingdom?"

Angela knew. The Mana Stone. Could it be they were being beaten to it again? Quietly, she confessed her fears to her friends, whose expressions grew carefully neutral.

"We'd better go tonight," suggested Duran.

"Well, we are under cover of night," quipped Hawk.

"I caught a little nap on the turtle," confessed Lise, "and I think the rest of you did, too. We should be able to keep going without a stop at the inn."

--

As they made their way through the forest, it became clear that the eternal night worked for them, in a sense. Without the cues of the sun, they had no sense of time, and their bodies did not seem to, either. Hawk felt like he could walk forever.

The only disadvantage his friends seemed to be having was that the monsters were harder to see; but becoming a Ninja had only heightened the powers of perception Hawk had developed as a thief. He looked, not for the monsters themselves, so much as the flicker of shadows, the crackle of leaves, the intangible sense of motion that indicated a presence, and his refined senses quickly told him whether it was a squirrel or a wolf that they faced.

After the Fairy's revelation, the group found themselves a little frightened of killing wolves, for fear of offending the Spirit whose help they sought. Fortunately, the four-legged wolves of the forest seemed easily chased off with some shuriken throws from Hawk; their two-legged werewolf counterparts required direct strikes from Duran's sword and Lise's spear, but eventually fled into the ghostly trees as well. With the strongest creatures in the area being the beastmen, whom the wolves did not attack, perhaps the werewolves were unaccustomed to opponents that fought back.

Then, Hawk realized it was possible that those werewolves _were _beastmen. So far, he was not impressed.

Despite the thick patches of fog that floated past them, the forest was beautiful. Lush trees stretched their canopy over the path, the leaves shades of purple and blue under the moon's rays, while wildflowers grew in clearings, seemingly adapted to use moonlight as other flowers used sunlight. The life thriving in darkness gave a dreamlike quality to the forest.

The Goddess statue they found, this time only ordinary stone, seemed to guard the entrance to the giant tower they had been glimpsing above the trees for miles now. The forest grew thinner, and Hawk could see the stone walls between the tree trunks.

"The Moonreading Tower... The Fairy says that the Mana Stone is inside," Angela related. As she and Duran strode confidently towards the clearing ahead, Hawk followed, but they were stopped by a shout of "Wait!" from Lise.

He wheeled, knives in hand, expecting to rescue her, but she merely stood next to the statue, eyes closed in concentration.

After a moment, she turned to look at him, and at Duran and Angela at his side, with a faraway expression. "Salamando wanted me to wait," she told them. "He said he needed to show me something, before we went further."

Hawk tensed. It appeared the Elemental knew something threatening laid ahead - and they had almost run right into it. He knew he had been easily distracted after the experience with Jessica, but he couldn't let his instincts weaken.

He and his companions gathered together and, more cautiously this time, stepped into the clearing.

--

Angela let out a cry before she could remind herself to be stealthy.

There, just below the steps of the Moonreading Tower, lay the prostrate bodies of several Altenan wizards. Thankfully, she did not recognize anyone she knew.

But even more terrifying was the figure that stood over the dead women. A skeletal figure, wearing the clothes of a court jester, as if this all was some grand joke.

When he turned to face them, she could see his face was a hollow skull.

"Fools... to even think you could defeat me." The voice came from the other side of the clearing, directed towards the corpses. In her terror, she had not noticed the muscular silver-haired Beastman, currently in his human form.

She had seen him before. In Jad.

They all had.

"Splendid, splendid. My dear Lugar, allow me to take care of these bodies! Please, return to the castle!" At the skeleton-man's words. the beastman turned and disappeared into the forest, moving away from them. Half-concealed by trees, it appeared the party had not yet been noticed.

This deathjester knelt over one of the wizards. She had never seen this spell used before, but suddenly, she figured out exactly what it was. The spell of sacrifice that would release the Mana Stone, the spell that Koren had planned to use on her. And here another of her countrywomen would die for it.

She didn't remember when Duran's gauntleted hand had clamped over her mouth to stifle her scream, or when he had pinned her to the ground to stop her running to stop the demon, that must be what he was, anything to stop that terrible spell! She thrashed against Duran as if he was her worst enemy. Driven by adrenaline, she might have been able to overcome him despite his strength, until Lise and Hawk held her down as well.

"Angela," Duran's voice spoke to her with amazing calm, "you will die to release this Mana Stone in her place."

Her will drained, and tears welled up as the death spell enveloped the Altenan woman, pouring down her cheeks as she stifled her sobs. Through her teary haze, she saw the wizard breathe her last, and the energy drained out of her to give a grayish, dead tinge to her flesh. Angela envisioned herself, lying in the icefields of Altena by the Mana Stone, dying the same way, and suddenly wondered how she had survived.

--

When the figure ran into the clearing as the Deathjester completed the spell, Lise's first thought was that the beastman Lugar had returned. But this figure was younger, lacking the silvery hair and beard; he had boyish smooth skin and a mane-like head of red-orange hair.

He had been in Jad, too, and had told her how to escape.

"He's not one of them," she hissed in the loudest possible whisper to the terrified Angela, the two men helping hold her down.

The Deathjester looked up. "Ah, Kevin... the son of the Beast King has returned." _How could the new arrival be a Beast Prince?_ Lise wondered. He looked far too human.

"You... stealer of souls... you take my wolf friend, Karl..."

"And his soul was quite tasty!" The Deathjester looked evilly at the Beast Prince. What sick stuff was going on here?

The Beast Prince charged towards Deathjester, but a sudden wind slammed him to the ground. By his contorted position and expression, she could see he was unable to move. What kind of spell had been cast? Angela's wind spells could not hold someone in place that way.

Deathjester stood over the helpless beastman. "You'll be seeing Karl sooner that you think!" Lise somehow knew he was going to use the spell he had used on the poor Altenan soldier. He raised his hand, and the Valkyrie, her senses now honed, felt the Mana begin to build.

The beastman had saved her once. She was honor-bound to return the favor. "_Wait_!" she cried as she charged into the clearing, with no time to brief her friends.

Startled, the Deathjester lost the spell he was casting. "I say! Isn't that a little rude?"

"Allow me." Apparently the silvery beastman, Lugar, had not gone far. Angela, Duran, and Hawk had come up behind her as she had known they would, but now they were trapped between the death magician at the tower stairs on one side, and the Beastman blocking the entrance to the clearing on the other. His voice was almost bored, as if he was dealing with a minor nuisance to be swept out of the way. "I'll finish Kevin myself. These petty humans will be a nice warm-up."

"A... as you wish!" Deathjester scurried away. It was clear who was in charge here. With their first adversary gone, perhaps they had no more death spells to fear, but as Lugar morphed into a densely muscled wolf, Lise knew they were in for a fight.

--

Duran's blood was running at the thought of a worthy opponent. Semi-consciously, he placed himself between the beast and Angela. Whether or not her magic would do any good, he did not want her to risk suffering a blow from this thing.

The wolf towered several inches over him, but he swung confidently - and missed. He didn't realize how quick the creature could dodge. The counterblow struck him in the stomach so hard he flew back several feet, landing in a clatter of metal. If it had not been for his armor, his ribs would have broken, he knew.

Despite his canine body, Lugar looked at him with distinctly human eyes. And they hated him.

Before the animal could attack him again, however, Lise was at his side. She touched his forehead; unlike Angela, she seemed to need touch for this crazy magic she was using now. "More power to you, Duran," she whispered.

It felt like his muscles were burning. Goddess, this hurt, what was she doing? But as the pain faded, he felt ten times stronger. It was just as in training, the pain led to more strength, even if this time it was the Elemental's doing. He leaped up, raring to go once again.

Lugar gave a howl as his next swipe cleaved into the wolf's side.

Duran began an aggressive combination of sword swings, and as the figure retreated a few feet, Hawk appeared on his left. The thief was quick, but he knew stabbing his knives into the beast's leg with that level of force would have been ordinarily beyond the Ninja.

They continued their dance, pushing the beast backwards. Suddenly, from behind Lugar, a large _thwock _was heard.

Duran had never seen Angela break a shoulder bone with her cane before. Lise had apparently enhanced them one at a time, saving herself for last.

Lise. Where was she? As Lugar clutched his destroyed shoulder, Duran turned to see her across the clearing, readying her spear with a vengeful gleam in her eye.

In that second, it felt as if the world had caved in and crushed him, slamming him to the ground.

--

Lise had seen Lugar jump into the air, but it was not a magic technique, precisely. She was not able to warn Duran before the shockwaves of the wolf's aerial slam knocked him to the ground. Behind Lugar, Angela and Hawk fell as well. If only she had time to cast Gnome's protection spell as well, but Salamando had told her to boost strength so their first attack would hit hard.

Apparently she had been out of primary range, and so was able to maintain footing, though she was pushed back hard against the tree trunk behind her. As the shockwaves passed, she knelt down next to the Beastman - Kevin, she had heard his name was? He might know how to fight these Beast techniques, but he was held, helpless, by Deathjester's magic barrier.

She tried all her new spells in rapid succession, grateful Lugar was distracted, but they slid off like water. Apparently, whatever was holding Kevin was a higher-level spell.

She was running out of ideas. Kevin groaned in pain, his body contorted awkwardly. She fumbled in her pocket, and found some of the herbs that they used for poisoned stomachs and such. At least she could ease his pain while she ran into battle, but...

She felt the spell holding Kevin dissolve. Cracking his neck and bending his limbs, Kevin stood up.

Were those healing herbs from Rosa... magic?

Kevin looked at her gratefully. Lise was awe-struck. He stood up very straight, flexed his arms, and grew into a second werewolf.

He howled, and the Lugar-wolf howled back.

Wolf-Kevin ran towards Lugar, who met him halfway. Kevin's fists flew. Lise had never seen anyone fight that fast, nor with such ambidexterity, except Hawk. Lise's fascination distracted her as she cast Salamando's spell on herself, the pain filling her as if she was holding a hot iron to her own leg.

Past Lugar, she could see Duran was on his feet and healing the party. He had wisely healed himself first, from the looks of it, but she saw Angela stand, then Hawk. Just in the nick of time. Kevin was strong, definitely, but Lugar had more experience, and powerful techniques to go with it. Lugar had physically grabbed Kevin, somehow lifting him to slam him on the ground with an echo that made Lise wince. Still, the younger beastman forced himself to his feet.

What happened next was all a blur. Neither Lise nor her friends were ever able to say who had delivered the final blow, as the beastman was suddenly surrounded by not one, not two, but five powered-up adversaries.

With their enemy obviously beaten, the party stepped back. Duran lowering his sword, Angela leaning on her cane as Lise herself supported herself with her spear. Kevin let the wolf form dissipate as the injured Lugar faded back to his human-like form. Lise casually wondered what sort of natural laws governed the transformation.

Kevin knelt down beside Lugar, warrior beside warrior. "L... Lugar..."

--

Lugar wheezed. "Kevin... son of the Beast King... you had the chance to become our most powerful warrior, learning from the Beast King himself. But you let it all go to waste... your pacifist nonsense... our kingdom would have died that way. We couldn't allow ourselves to be led... by someone who was weak... and that's why the King sent me after you..."

Kevin seemed remarkably accepting of his father trying to have him killed. Angela wondered if killing children was normal in the Beast Kingdom. Perhaps that was Koren's inspiration. Particularly since Kevin seemed to be very troubled by the approaching death of his would-be assassin.

The moon's brightness shone on the clearing over the two beastmen. At first Angela thought it was an illusion, but the light grew brighter, until the clearing was as bright as day. The calming cool tinge to the light was the only clue that the light was, in fact, moonlight.

"Luna!" the Fairy exclaimed. Preoccupied, Angela had not felt the being reappear.

"I was waiting for you," intoned Luna, the Moon Spirit, with a quiet dignity. Surrounded by a ball of moonlight, she looked a little like the Fairy herself. "Thank you for saving my young wolf-child, Queen Rieszella." Lise bowed her head respectfully in response.

"But another of my night-children still suffers." Luna floated to Lugar.

"P... please, help Lugar!" Kevin looked distraught. If it were Koren, Angela would be slitting his throat to finish the job around now.

"He is beyond Lumina's magic... but I can use a different sort," Luna replied. "In night, we all become different, yet the same..."

The cool light grew with a brightness that eclipsed the sun. When it cleared, a wolflike baby was crawling across the clearing, into the woods beyond.

"Regeneration." Luna looked quite pleased with herself. "To the Void, we return, and emerge into life once again."

As they watched the wolf-baby disappear into the forest, the Fairy suddenly panicked. "Luna... where is the Stone? Deathjester was going to use the soul of one of the Altenans to unseal it!"

"I can feel it's still safe, for the moment at least. The beastmen drove off the main thrust of the Altenan attack, and Deathjester ran from the fierceness of the battle here." Elementals did not express a wide range of motion, but the sudden diminishing of Luna's light added a feeling of darkness to her words. "I think he will be back. Fairy, you and your chosen must hurry."

"I know." The Fairy's sad tone startled Angela. Was it possible they were... losing?

--

Despite its immense height, the Moonreading Tower emerged from a clear forest pool supported only by slender stone pillars. The Fairy surmised the helmeted stone faces capping the pillars were meant to represent the Goddess. Funny, she thought, how few depictions of the Goddess got it right.

Kevin entered the tower with the others. It had been a long time since they had seen a Mana Stone still sealed, the last one being in the Corridor of Wind. The Fairy was glad to see it.

Lise was the first to break the awestruck silence... "The power... keeping the forest in an endless night..."

"Why Deathjester want to ruin our stone?" asked Kevin.

"He must be after the Sword of Mana as well. It appears we have yet another faction to contend with," Angela proposed. The Fairy could not have put it better herself. Despite her temper and stubborn attitude, the Princess of Altena had a sharp mind and flawless logic.

"Priest of Light... told me of this Sword of Mana... will destroy Beast Kingdom, if don't stop him... " The Fairy felt the strength from the young beastman. He was awkward, and afraid, but… determination filled him nevertheless.

Hesitant to break the silence, this close to the Goddess's stone, she spoke to Angela through telepathy. Angela whispered to Duran, who whispered to Lise, who whispered to Hawk. Hawk gave the final nod.

Lise, having met Kevin before, was logically the one to speak. "Kevin... we are looking for the Mana Sword as well. Perhaps you would care to join us?"

Kevin looked back at her. "You all strong," he said. "For the sake of Beast Kingdom, will go with you to find Mana Sword."

And the Fairy had another hero on her side.

--

"Have you class-changed, Kevin?" Duran asked.

_Good question_, Angela thought. Without it, the beastman might not be ready for what lay ahead.

"Class change?" Kevin looked confused.

"It'll make you stronger," Duran told him.

"Gah! Ready to do it!"

"Well, you just touch the stone, and then..." Too late. Kevin had rushed up without bothering to listen to the rest of Lise's instructions, and in a moment his consciousness was far from them.

"Well, now we wait and see," said Angela.

--

Kevin ran through the woods in his wolf-form, as easily on four legs as on two. His pack was with him, the scent of the midnight forest in his nostrils. Surrounding him were his brothers and sisters - not Beastmen, but normal wolves he had gotten to know in the forest.

The pack fell on a group of rabites, and killing them quickly and efficiently, they fed. Kevin's wolf form fed along the rest of them. The fresh meat invigorated him as the smell of blood repulsed him. He cringed at the sound of breaking bones. But there was no sadism in the gesture, this was what was needed to survive.

He recognized the she-wolf that had taken over to lead the pack, after Karl had been killed. Not the dead wolf's real name, but it was the name Kevin had chosen for him.

Karl. The wolf-leader had welcomed him into the pack, even as the Beastmen ostracized him for his unwillingness to fight. Kevin had not been able to transform out of his human form then, but they accepted him just the same.

Running with the pack, he remembered the day he had first found his wolf-form, the day Karl had died.

The leader had turned on him one day, jaws slathering as if he had gone rabid, and jumped towards him. Kevin had fought for his life, but felt his wolf-friend's jaws close on him.

His body grew hot, and he stood, looking down to see fur where once skin had been.

He hadn't realized how his strength had changed as well. The defensive punch he threw became a killing blow, and Karl crumpled.

Returning to his human form, he buried Karl in the forest, and planted some nightflowers on the grave.

He thought he would be driven away from the pack, but the she-wolf did not chase him off. "It was some dark magic, young one," she told him, in the growling wolf-language. "You did what is needed."

"But, never wanted to kill..." Kevin protested.

"You do not want to kill for pleasure, as the humans do," the she-wolf told him. "But we wolves kill only for need. Such is the way of life. Such is the way of the Goddess."

--

Kevin emerged from the Stone's rapture. Hawk did not know how he knew, exactly - there were no external signs - but he knew the beastman had chosen the darker path. Bashkar, he believed it was, for Beastmen.

Such an innocent as Kevin seemed, that surprised him. Not unlike a difficult choice he had once himself made.

Hawk put two fingers to his forehead in salute, and the beastman solemnly returned the gesture.


	22. Six

**22. SIX (ANGELA)**

Angela wasn't sure if it was Kevin, or Luna, who kept the wolves at bay as they backtracked through the forest, but she was glad for the increased speed, with the Fairy frantically urging them towards Diorre.

They didn't even know what to do when they got there. Richard had known little and told them to seek out the Forest King for more information. Come to think of it, they didn't even know where exactly Diorre was in the forest. Even Hawk's map, made by thieves' guild members through all kinds of trespassing, only had a large circle with the word Diorre (question mark) in the center.

When asked, Hawk told her that not all the Rangers had found it in the same place. Like that helped one hell of a lot. At least the beach didn't move, so they would know where to land Booskaboo.

Somehow, over the walk back, the party began to get insanely tired. She could not tell time in the eternal night, but a discussion with Kevin had led her to believe the party had been up for at least thirty-six hours, maybe forty, and fought a major battle in that time. It really was a miracle they had survived.

Oddly, Kevin received a friendly greeting form the Mintos innkeeper, and they were quickly ushered upstairs before they all simply passed out where they stood. Only a communal room was available, but Angela was too tired to care who saw Duran climb in next to her and throw his arms around her.

Kevin took another bed - she didn't think beastmen even slept in beds! - but when Lise collapsed into the third, Hawk grabbed some extra blankets and fell asleep on the floor. She heard Duran lightly snoring as she drifted off herself.

--

Duran woke up with a start. Nighttime already?

Slowly he realized that he was in Mintos, and it was always night here.

The wall clock showed he had been asleep for fourteen hours. He had never slept that long before. But his teammates - old, and new - were all still asleep. He did not want to wake them, least of all Angela, curled next to him with that long purple hair splayed messily over the pillow.

He amused himself for the next hour by playing with that hair, gently so as to not disturb her.

Lise woke up within the hour, followed shortly by Kevin. Hawk might still have slept if Lise had not stepped on his ponytail getting out of bed. His yelp jarred Angela awake, her eyelids popping open to see Duran holding a fistful of hair.

He could only grin sheepishly.

Fortunately she smiled back, but still calmly removed his fingers from her head.

Normally they would have spent another day in Mintos, but there was little reason to this time. They had upgraded all their weapons and armor on the way in, effectively cleaning out the shops. Angela could not reach any Altenan contacts yet, but Duran and Lise were able to find their royal associates in most towns, and Hawk his illicit ones. None of the above, apparently, were here in Mintos. The Beast Kingdom appeared to be quite isolationist.

But the reputation of the pacifist son of the Beast King had spread, and peace-seeking Mintos was happy to offer food and lodging for free.

"Better eat well for strength, but not too much, or won't be able to swim," said Kevin between bites.

Duran couldn't possibly have heard that right. "Swim?"

"How else get to Diorre?" The beastman returned his incredulous look. Had that been how Kevin had gotten to Jad?

Lise, having taken it upon herself to ease Kevin's introduction to the group, laid a hand gently on his hairy forearm. "Kevin, we have a way that's easier... and more importantly, faster."

Kevin looked quizzical, but seemed to accept Lise's word. Conversation remained, Lise chatting amicably with their new companion.

Duran happened to glance at Hawk, and noticed a surprising look on his friend's face.

Hawk seemed... jealous.

Angela had filled him in on the basic details of where Hawk and Lise stood with each other, thought he expected she wasn't spilling all her girlfriend's secrets. But somehow, Duran didn't think that was it; what he saw in Hawk didn't seem to be a manly, ego-puffing sort of sexual jealousy. Kevin was a nice guy, but Duran though that his mindset was more boy than man. Duran was not sure how Beastmen aged, but it was possible the fifteen years Kevin claimed did not mean the same thing as if he was a fifteen-year-old human. It would have been like seeing Lise with an twelve-year-old. So why was Hawk bothered? 

He quietly commented on it to Angela as they exited into the Mintos moonlight. She whispered to him, barely audibly. "He misses her. Even if nothing happens between them again, they don't know yet how to be friends, with that wanting between them."

Duran could understand that. With his arm around Angela lightly, he was glad he didn't have to worry about that himself.

--

Kevin balked slightly when he saw their mode of transportation, but he jumped on nonetheless.

"Just like using a giant bird to travel!"

Angela couldn't _wait_ to hear about that one. The beast ways, it appeared, were quite different.

The now-fivesome arranged themselves on the turtle shell, everyone moving slightly from their accustomed seat to accommodate Kevin.

"The shell's certainly starting to host quite a gathering," observed Hawk, who had ended up only a couple feet from the edge.

"Oh, there's nothing to worry about. When you ride one of the Goddess's creatures, you have Her personal protection. You won't fall off."

"What if I _tried _to jump off?"

"I wouldn't push your luck with Her," replied the Fairy.

--

The path off the Diorre beach was blocked by an enormous copse of trees, stretching as far as they could see.

"Well, I guess we should hack through it," Duran said, unsheathing his sword.

"Wait," Lise stopped him. "I've heard the elves are quite picky about their trees."

"If only it wasn't so damn dark," Angela complained. They had emerged from the Mintos river in time to see a couple hours of sunlight before the world became night again. It was putting her in a bad mood.

"Lumina, a little light here?" asked the Fairy.

The Elemental graciously appeared to shine light on the trees, but there almost wasn't enough room for Lise to stick a spear between one tree and the next.

"Well, since it's nighttime, Luna might be more helpful here. She knows Dryad a little better too," the light spirit said. Lumina's co-elemental appeared and looked closely.

"What's this plant doing here? It belongs in my forest, not hers. Dryad should really have better manners." Luna plucked the tree out by the roots as easily as if it was a flower. It was very bizarre to see a tree floating in the air with her. "I'll take this home. Dryad's trees can get very tangled and overgrown, but they won't block you the way this one did." And she flew off to the southwest, tree in hand.

"Wow! That was cool!" A little girl's voice drew their attention.

Angela hadn't thought about the curly-haired little girl since she and Duran had left her at the entrance to the Cave of Waterfalls, months ago. She had figured the girl would have run along home and forgotten about it all.

But then again, any kid who lugged around a morningstar couldn't be that timid.

"Hi everyone! Didja miss me? Carlie went to find a cure for Grampa... after a loooong grueling trip... here I am! No thanks to you! You left Carlie back there, all alone!"

"Ah... sorry..." Angela was glad Duran had the grace to apologize, because she herself wasn't a bit sorry. She wouldn't have had nearly as much sex with Carlie tagging along.

"Carlie, how did you get here?"

"A little man sent me here in his magic cannon! I flew up in the air, and landed here!"

"She's making this up," Hawk said flatly.

"Carlie is not making this up! He had a funny hat!"

Angela remembered a rumor in Maia about the crazy inventor who wanted people to travel by cannon. She and Duran had decided at the time that such a thing would be pure suicide, and they had a good laugh together wondering who would be crazy enough to be the first person to try it. Apparently they had found their answer.

"Anyway," asked the child, "what are you guys doing here, huh huh?"

"We're looking for the elf village of Diorre," Angela said.

"Hahaha... you'll never find it. But Carlie knows _exactly_ where it is!"

"You wouldn't mind telling us where it is, would you?" Hawk knelt down next to her to look at Carlie at eye level. She giggled as he pulled his knives out and made them disappear again. Goddess, was everyone good with kids but her?

"Let's play hide and seek! If you can find me, I'll tell! Bye!" And Carlie disappeared into the forest.

Hawk stood. "She seems to know her way around somehow. Without her, this could take forever."

Angela slammed the butt of her staff on the ground in frustration. "Stupid kid!"

"You're an only child, Angela," Lise gently chided her.

"Well, right now, only one way to go," Kevin began, pointing to where the path turned ahead. "This way."

--

Luna had been right. Inland, the plants were distinctly different from the Moonlight Forest. Rather than trees, they were surrounded by large bushes, from which hung enormous iridescent blossoms. Most were white, but some glowed a deep pink. The pink ones were rare, and didn't seem to occur in any regular pattern.

Lise enjoyed the scenery without ever removing her eyes from the path ahead, looking for trouble. It was in fact quite romantic in this flowerland. _But, _she thought sadly_, there is only one person I would want to enjoy it with..._ She avoided looking at Hawk until she could break her thoughts away from that train of thought.

The bugs in the forest were as overgrown as the blossoms. Despite being as large as dogs, they squished as easily as their smaller versions; it just took a little longer. Angela's magic was the easiest way to target the occasional giant bees, so she made that her focus while the others attacked the ground-dwellers.

Lise had just squished another of the crawlers, when she spotted a piece of pink robe under one of the shrubs. They had found Carlie's hiding place... but... she wasn't moving.

"Carlie!" Lise cried, kneeling down by the shrub, but just then the small form flinched. She had merely curled herself up into a ball.

"Wah! I'm scared!" The girl was shaking.

"Serves you right for trying to go through these woods alone!" As Lise held the child, she shot Angela a warning glare. Angela swallowed whatever she would have said next, but crossed her arms over the top of her staff and rolled her eyes.

"Carlie... these woods are dangerous. You'd better go with us instead," Lise said, quickly looking over the child. Fortunately, it appeared Carlie had not suffered any injuries, and she seemed to recover quick enough under Lise's care. She turned her big blue eyes over the party, and her stubbornness wilted.

"Okay okay, you can come along!" she finally announced. "See those red flowers? Follow 'em! They only glow at night, and they lead to Diorre!"

--

With their direction finally clear, the group was finally able to stop walking in circles, and within an hour or two, were stepping into the elf village.

"Pardon me, but..." The first elf Hawk approached, a female, ran screaming.

Sheepishly, he turned to his friends. "Most women find me somewhat more charming." Lise blushed. That was the most promising reaction he had gotten from her in days.

"If _Hawk _is too threatening, we better put the kid in front," suggested Angela.

"Speaking of which, where is she?" Duran asked.

"Over there - talk to man..." Sure enough, Carlie had run over to another elf, and seemed to be getting a much warmer reception. She even got a hug before running back to the party.

"He says we should go to the King's house first! It's at the end of the village! Follow me!"

As they followed the exuberant girl, Hawk tried to avoid the stares he received, some fearful, others expressions of open hate. There had been only one other time he had experienced anything like it, when the guards arrested him for the death of Eagle and dragged him in chains through the Navarre fortress. That had hurt worse, seeing hate and fear on the faces of people he had known for years, people who thought he was a traitor and a murderer.

But even that had been nothing, compared to the look on Jessica's face when she came to see him, the night before he was to be executed, the night Nikita broke him out. Two nights before then, Bigieu had come to him in jail to tell him, smirking, about the cursed necklace she had placed on Jessica. Some more of her devil magic, most likely. The curse tied Bigieu's life to Jessica's, and would kill her if he told the truth. So he remained silent while Jessica shouted and cried at him, asking him through tears why he wouldn't deny he had killed her brother. She knew he would not lie to her, so his silence only confirmed her fears, and it was like seeing all her happiness drain away.

He wondered if he would ever get the chance to tell her the truth.

Hawk was not someone who tried to push down painful feelings. _Only by recognizing the darkness, and floundering through it, _Flamekhan had taught him_, can we emerge into the light again_. It was true in more ways than one. He wished he could talk to Lise about it, share the pain with her as they easily had so many times before. But she had made it clear where they stood, and having her come into his head right after Jessica only made him feel guilty on top of everything else.

He brooded silently until they reached the large house of the King.

--

The elves in the further sections of Diorre were no more friendlier. What was their problem? No one had invaded _them_, yet still they hated foreigners.

At least no one tried to stop them. Angela had the odd feeling they were on their way to be judged. If they were found wanting, perhaps they would be fighting their way out of this village.

In the room at the top of the house, they found the so-called Faerie King.

"He doesn't look like a fairy to me," Angela said, inside her head.

A small voice sighed. "It's just an old expression, Angela."

Just like the Priest of Light, this man looked like an old geezer, and was even thinner. It was hard to admire someone who looked like he could snap in half anytime. She felt a surge of pride thinking of her own mother, who exuded power and strength while still maintaining a striking beauty.

Much like the rest of the village, though, Carlie was the one who got the warm welcome. "Carlie! That can't be! Is it really you?!"

"Yup, that's me. Are you my Faerie Grampa? My other Grampa told me about you!"

Faerie Grampa...? Suddenly, it all clicked together for Angela - how the kid knew the way here, how the villagers didn't hate her like the rest. Possibly even why she could be so childlike at age fifteen. The kid was half elf!

"Yes... but why are you here? Has something happened to the Priest of Light? I don't understand... why would he let you come here?"

The Fairy took this moment to interrupt the tender reunion, with typical propriety. "Your Highness! Please, we need your help!"

"A Fairy from the Holyland?! Which one of you was chosen?" All eyes went to Angela, who suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious and looked at the floor.

"I see.. the Altenan princess..." That made her look right back up. How did he know who she was? "Carlie has found impressive company."

"The pretty woman is a princess?" Carlie wondered. Carlie thought of her as pretty? She was sure the kid would have grown to hate her.

Lise curtsied prettily. "Your Majesty... we're looking for the Spirit of Wood. Might you know where it is?"

"And my Grampa is sick! Please, you gotta help Grampa!" interrupted Carlie.

"We heard in Maia that the Priest had put up a stronger magic barrier to prevent invasion of Wendel, but fell ill in the process," explained Duran.

"Be at ease, Carlie, their quest will help your Grampa as well. Queen Rieszella, there is little I can do about the Priest myself, the Mana is not strong enough. I would ask you to take Carlie with you. If Princess Angela can gain the Sword, then the Goddess should be able to cure the Priest as well. She will not be a burden on you... I can see her power has increased, she has received the Gift, and the Goddess has seen fit to raise her to a Priestess..." 

Angela was rarely speechless nowadays, but this definitely did it. The kid had class changed by herself? It was terrifying enough even doing it with your friends there!

"It's because she is a child," said the Fairy, inside her mind. "She doesn't understand the situation as fully as the rest of you do, so she hasn't developed the fear."

Having met the child outside of Wendel, Duran's reaction was similar. "Carlie... you class changed?"

"Yup, yup," she said happily.

--

Carlie didn't understand why the grownups were so worried that she had class changed, or that she had been wandering around the forest alone. This was where she had been born, when Mommy and Daddy were still alive.

She could always find her way to the village, so she wasn't afraid. When she first got there, she ran around the forest, looking at all the pretty plants.

After a while, the forest started to change. There was less trees and more grass. And then she found the big shiny stone. She couldn't resist going up to it, she wanted to touch it.

When she did, she realized this was one of the Goddess's stones, that she was supposed to use to class change.

Heath had told her all about it. Her grampa wanted her to be a Priestess, he told her, but it was going to be her decision, and she could also be an Enchantress, and turn creatures' dark magic against them. The Enchantresses were scary, but cool. They could make all kinds of creatures appear, even some from the dead. Often, though, they left Wendel after that.

She thought it would be fun to be an Enchantress. But then the Goddess spoke to her.

"Carlie, I cannot make your choice for you, but I ask you to consider what choice I would make for you..."

Carlie understood. The Goddess had a special job for her, not now, but a long way in the future. She made her choice, for the Light.

The Goddess seemed really nice, after all.


	23. The Last Spirit

**23. THE LAST SPIRIT (ANGELA)**

"Go to the Goddess Statue northwest of the village. Use the power of Luna there, and the path to Dryad's lair will be revealed," the elf king finished. "I am sorry I do not have enough room to host you in my own home, as we do not maintain the palaces that humans do, but I will send a message to the inn that all your needs will be covered by myself."

Considering there had been no Forcenan - or Rolantic - banker in Mintos, their funds were drying up, so Duran was grateful for the hospitality.

"Let's go find that sword! Right now! Come on!" Carlie bounced up and down.

"It's almost morning. I recommend you sleep today, and leave the village at night; without the red flowers to guide you, you will surely become lost."

"I'll show you some more knife tricks before we go, Carlie," Hawk promised.

"Yay! Thanks, Faerie Grampa!"

"Carlie... My... how you've grown. Good luck on your quest." Duran bowed, and the others paid their respects as they left. Angela even managed a semi-curtsy.

It seemed possible they were never sleeping at normal hours again, after several days of Mintos. Fortunately, the elven innkeeper did not seem to mind being woken up - not once the messenger showed him the king's message - and even managed to provide an early morning dinner for the group. It certainly felt like after-dinnertime.

Angela and Kevin had chosen to retire. Carlie had fallen asleep before Hawk could show her the promised knife tricks. Instead, he sat on the couch of their communal living room, in front of the fireplace, Lise with him. Their heads were very close, but oddly… Hawk seemed to be the one on the brink of tears, as Lise took his hand.

He wasn't sure what they were talking about, but it was closer than they had been in a long time. Their body language excluded everyone else. It was possible they hadn't noticed that he, still sitting at the table across the room, was even there.

He had to admire Hawk, knowing what the two felt, and yet Hawk was able to restrain himself and respect Lise's wishes. He didn't think he could have done that, had it been himself and Angela. He had once pulled away thinking she was not interested, but to be near her, knowing that she felt the same... once they had admitted their feelings for each other, he wouldn't have let anything stand in his way.

Of course, he didn't have the complicated situation Hawk did. He knew the Navarrians were much less formal, but still, with the matter with Jessica unresolved...

He really did love Lise like a sister. He hoped his own little sister grew up to be like her, and he wanted Lise to have happiness, somehow.

Silently, he left the two alone in the room.

--

After the party woke, they spent the final couple hours of sunlight equipping their new recruits.

For a village that was hidden from most of the world, they seemed to have armor and weapons for a surprising variety of needs. "Much of it was made before we withdrew from the world," the shopkeeper told Lise when she inquired, "but elven materials last forever."

Lise kept her mother's spear, and Carlie seemed unnaturally attached to her morningstar - but the rest made selections from the elven stock. "Always can use more knives," laughed Hawk. Duran picked a sword of a similar size and weight to his battered one; it was important to maintain the balance, he explained.

They all eagerly jumped on the armor, though. It was lighter than they were used to, allowing for more freedom of movement. "This is the lightest breastplate I've ever worn," claimed Duran, but after banging it around a bit, he declared it was stronger as well. "How they managed that, I have no idea."

Despite her child-phobia, Angela did not complain at being left the job to pick out robes for Carlie. She had the best sense of the magical spells woven in, after all, though she did say they were a little different than she was accustomed to. She even helped Carlie wriggle into her new dress. The blue outfit just seemed too cute to count as "armor", but Angela assured them it would do the job.

So, as the sun set over Flowergarden Land Diorre, they found themselves, now six together, standing at the northwest corner of the village, watching the flowers turn pale pink, then deeper as night took the village.

"Let's go," Duran jolted them out of their reverie.

They made their way to the Goddess statue quickly enough, but no further red blossoms lighted the way. Angela called on Luna, who appeared wordlessly, and moments later a tunnel of red flowers appeared to the statue's right. It hadn't looked like they could get through, but as Lise bent down to peer into the ring, she realized they would fit just perfectly crouching and entering single file.

Luna seemed to wink, then flickered out of existence.

Carlie pouted. "What happened to the tree she had last time?"

"The tree went home to his wife and baby trees." Judging from Carlie's expression, she really believed Hawk.

Lise had already started through the bushes. She heard Kevin's voice. "Go, go. I go last." After all but Kevin had gone through, she realized Kevin was probably transforming and not yet fully comfortable with them seeing him do so. Idly Lise noted she had never heard Kevin say "I" before.

The path ahead was clear, except for a few more of the crawlers which they dispatched easily. Carlie opened one all by herself, her morningstar bursting its exoskeleton with a sickening squash. Lise wasn't sure if a kid should have such a brutal weapon, but if they were going to be traveling together, it was probably good that she knew how to use one.

They seemed to arrive at a dead end, dominated by a giant flower growing out of a greenish bulb, half again as tall as Duran.

"Now what?" asked Angela. "How do we find Dryad?"

"Maybe she's inside the flower," suggested Duran. Kevin walked up and knocked on the bulb a couple of times.

The bulb exploded open, and out popped the head of a dragon.

"The Gildervine!" the Fairy exclaimed, and zoomed back to the protection of her host.

Well, not exactly a dragon, Lise corrected herself. It was more of a plant-like version of a dragon. But whatever it was, it had knocked both Kevin and Duran both flat off their feet. They were righting themselves quickly, but that left Lise to make the first charge. She drove her spear into the bulbous center, wrenching it back out to find it covered in plant goo. The dragon's head dove for her, its attention drawn.

Kevin's fists contacted the nose, one, two. The thing drew back in pain. It dove again, but Kevin was quick, finishing every few punch combinations with a rapid battering and a downward punch.

Duran, not to be outdone, was slicing at the waving tendrils at the base of the bulb, threatening to swipe them. Not wanting to get in the way of the two effective warriors, Lise continued to attack the bulb under Kevin's cover, using shorter thrusts to keep her spear from getting stuck the way it had the first time.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that crawlers had started to fill up the clearing. Dozens of them. Perhaps they responded to some summon from the creature. Hawk moved from Duran's left to begin taking them out. One or two posed no threat, but this many...

--

Hawk stepped back from where he had been trimming the writhing vines to slash at the incoming bugs. He tried to get them as soon as they were entering the clearing; otherwise they would be fighting while slipping on piles of bug innards.

Angela tried to help him with some well-placed whacks from her staff. "I'm going to try and fight the main body, Hawk, I think you have the critters covered." Hawk nodded. "It's a _wood_ creature, right? Wood burns." And Angela began to cast.

Moments later, he saw her duck to avoid her own fireball. He could feel the heat as it passed him. He had a sinking feeling he had seen that before; Eagle had shown it to him.

"Angela!" he yelled. "It's tree magic! Don't cast at it, the spells will bounce right back!"

"Isn't _anything_ vulnerable to magic anymore?!" she wailed.

--

Lise was making steady progress, and the creature was showing the effects of all her cuts and slashes, now oozing a greenish liquid. Kevin kept the creature's snapping jaws away from her. Then, as she raised her spear for an overhead swipe, the beastman slumped down beside her.

She thought he had been injured, but a quick look told her he had been put to sleep. A few feet away, Hawk had been caught in the spell too, and lay sprawled out, but she was still standing.

Of course! She, Angela and Duran were immunized to sleep spells, since Rolante, but the others had joined afterwards.

"Duran! Help me pull Kevin to safety!" The Knight joined her side to help drag the Bashkar's body next to Hawk's, just out of the Gildervine's attack range.

Duran tried to heal them, but it didn't seem to counteract sleep. She was afraid it would have to wear off naturally.

Suddenly, she remembered something. "Carlie?" she called out.

"She's here with me! She was out of the spell's range!" came Angela's voice.

Lise shared a haggard glance with Duran. They had been making only slow progress even with four fighters in action. And the bugs were creeping in. Angela had found she could successfully cast against them, but whichever spell she tried, it still wasn't working as fast as Hawk's knives and shurikens slicing them to pieces.

Lise saw curly red hair appear next to where she knelt on the ground.

"Oh, friends sleepy, this is bad, very bad."

"Carlie - " she began, meaning to tell her to get back out of harm's way, but the girl had an intense look of concentration on her face. Lise, whose magic senses were sharpening rapidly, sensed the beginnings of a spell. She didn't know Carlie could use magic, but perhaps she acquired some abilities with her class change, even if she didn't have them before.

A misty rain fell over her sleeping companions, catching the light so a million tiny rainbows sparkled as it fell.

Hawk opened his eyes and had jumped to his feet by the time Kevin awoke.

As they battered the Gildervine with renewed force, the thing let off a cloud of noxious gas that left Duran coughing and gasping for air. But Carlie's tinkling rain cured a choking Duran as if nothing had ever happened.

They were winning. The Gildervine was getting desperate.

A dozen thorn-studded vines whipped out all at once, Lise braced herself for the impact as she felt the vine fling her several yards away. She blocked with her forearm, before collapsing into the grass face down. Her arms and legs stung where the thorns had ripped her flesh, but the light elven plate protected her torso. Where her head faced to the left, she saw Kevin as badly beat up as she was.

Would Duran be able to heal them all fast enough?

"_Waaahh_! Big meanie hurt Carlie's friends!" Lise felt the gentle touch of healing magic almost immediately. The glow showed up around Kevin at the same time.

Angela pulled her to her feet. Lise looked at her arms where she had felt gashed wounds only moments before. "The kid can _heal_," Angela told her. "The vines missed me, but I watched her heal all four of you at once, and those were some ugly injuries."

Duran turned briefly as Angela spoke. He looked slightly hurt. Jealous, perhaps, that there was a new healer in the group?

Kevin arose with a deadly look on his face. For all his pacifistic views, he had the focus of a true fighter when the situation called for it. He gave the bulb one good punch, and the plant exploded.

Pieces of vegetable rained down all around them. A gob of plant flesh barely missed Angela's arm. Sickening splats were heard where the chunks hit ground.

They looked for a long minute at the gooey mess that covered the floor of the clearing. It was the most disgusting sight they had yet encountered.

"Eww," said Carlie.

"You said it, kid," replied Angela.

--

"Look!" Lise pointed her spear at where a small womanly figure appeared. Her body resembled the trunk of a tree, and the leaf-like hair on her head waved as if in a breeze as her head bobbled nervously.

"Um.. I'm saved?" This, must be Dryad, the final elemental spirit. Angela hadn't seen any of them quite so... anxious... before.

"I was trapped by the Gildervine! It took all my energy! I can hardly move!"

"Trapped, in that goo?" Duran wondered quietly. Hawk snickered.

"Thank you all... I'm sorry you had to fight the Gildervine just to save me..."

"That doesn't matter! We need your help, Dryad! We need you to help open the gate to the Holyland!" the Fairy said, her small voice hitting a note of urgency.

"I... I can't... the last of my power was drained... I'll be useless..."

Incredulity penetrated Angela's mood, followed by rapid irritation. She did not think it would be a good idea if she was the first to speak right now. She gritted her teeth in irritation.

Hawk rescued her. "Hey... if you can survive being inside that monster, you can do anything!" he said with his best flirtatious smile.

"You got the mana inside you!" piped up Carlie.

Lise finished. "Please... we need your help!"

The Elemental waffled for a minute. "Thank you for giving me a chance. I'll try..." she finally responded.

"That's it... that's the last spirit!" exulted Duran.

"Finally!" Angela felt ready to explode. "Now what, Fairy?"

"We should ride Booskaboo to the Island of Oblivion right away!"

"The what?"

"All the Mana energy in the world converges there. I think it's the only place in the world right now with enough Mana energy to open the gate to the Holyland. The Elementals will help direct the energy of their stones to open the Gate."

Confused glances were exchanged throughout the group. After all this time… they still didn't know what lay ahead. "Sounds like a plan," said Hawk, shrugging.


	24. Around the World and Up

**24. AROUND THE WORLD AND UP (LISE)**

They set a quick pace back through the forest, following Carlie through a shortcut back to the beach. The little girl reacted with typical enthusiasm to the thought of traveling on a giant turtle. It must be more comfortable than being blasted out of a cannon, Angela thought.

It was still dark as they departed for the Island of Oblivion, giving them the chance to witness a beautiful sunrise three or four hours later, out in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight. Each of the party members silently observed the rising sun. They hadn't talked much at all on this leg of the trip, really; now that they had all eight spirits, Angela suspected they were all consumed by the same worries and fear that she was.

Kevin's sharp beast-eyes saw first. "Gah... island?"

Hawk squinted in to the morning sun. "It sure is. Fairy, is that where we're going?"

"That's it," she confirmed. "The Island of Oblivion."

Slowly it grew larger in their view, but as Angela saw the beach approaching, she realized it was much smaller than she had anticipated. Landing, Carlie bounced off the turtle and looked disappointed. "This tiny little place is the Island of Oblivion?"

"It's a focal point, a representation of the Goddess's power rather than a physical manifestation." Carlie didn't seem to get that, but she didn't argue with the Fairy.

"So... this is it, huh? Now we can finally open the gate to the Holyland." Duran seemed underwhelmed as well.

Angela was over it. She had been on this quest longer than any of them, and she was finally reaching the end. They would get into the Holyland, grab the Sword, use its power to kill the bad guys and fix the Stones. They'd find Lise's brother, and cure the Priest. Piece of cake.

She ignored the nagging voice told her she would miss them all once they parted ways. She and Duran had never even talked about that with each other.

Wordlessly, she started away from the beach. A line of Goddess statues - not blessed, she couldn't imagine the Priesthood of Wendel made it out here so often, but impressive nonetheless - led the way to a cliff edge, overlooking a green tropical forest far below. In the distance, she could see the sea marking the boundaries of the island.

Her fears started to melt away somehow, looking at the peaceful scene before her, at the same time that the enormous Mana energy buzzing around her seemed as if it should set the very air on fire. Looking around at her friends, she could see that everyone sensed the same to one degree or the other, by association if not instinct. No one was doubting anymore that this was a special place.

The Fairy flitted out to slightly beyond the cliff's edge. "Thank you everyone... I couldn't have done it without your help... especially you, Angela... who saved my life..."

Angela felt suddenly very bad for all the spiteful thoughts she had had about the Fairy.

"The power of Mana has been declining..." the Fairy continued, "but I think we've arrived just in time. Spirits... please help me..."

The Spirits appeared, floating in a semicircle over the edge of the cliff. The group had never seen all eight of the spirits present at once, and being in the presence of so much divine energy was suddenly quite humbling.

The Fairy began a complex spell, combining the energies of the eight beings surrounding her. Angela watched, fascinated. She was beginning to get the hang of combining smaller spells, but this... this was overwhelming in its intricacy. It was giving her all sorts of ideas of how she could blend her spells together. And, she thought haughtily, the Fairy wasn't even truly a magic user, she was only combining the energies of others. What could be done if all the energy came from the same caster?

The spell was building into a shimmering circle, with all the colors of the rainbow, and some colors she thought she might never have seen before, floating across the surface. Leaning in, she thought she could see a forest surrounded by clouds, on the other side...

...And the circle abruptly winked out of existence. The Fairy looked abashed.

"Hey, you almost got it!" Angela knew the frustration of being unable to finish your spell.

Other voices joined in.

"Ooooh... almost!" Kevin.

"Almost there! Try it again!" The strong voice of Duran.

"Fairy... are you okay?" Lise, always concerned for others.

"Fairy, keep trying!" Hawk.

"Don't worry! Carlie is here watching over you!"

The Fairy hung her tiny head slightly. "The Mana is weaker than I thought... but I'm going to try one more time... Goddess, give me your strength!"

This time, the circle built quicker, expanding in size to cover a large house, or a small palace. Suddenly, the colors shimmered into white light, then blackest darkness, but the gate did not collapse. Slowly, the image of a cloud-surrounded island appeared, and in the center, visible even at some distance, a giant tree.

Cheers broke out from the party.

"Wait... no... it wasn't me!" the Fairy cried, trying to drown them out. "The gate opened itself...?"

They didn't like the sound of that.

--

"This could only mean... the power of the Stones has been released... their power combined with mine... that's why the gate appeared in the sky..."

"What? Wait a minute!" Duran had not been expecting this development. Nor the dark shadow that started to form over the idyllic little island. They all looked up to see what appeared to be a giant ship, only in the sky above them.

"Oh no... not... Mother?! That ship is our magic fortress, Gigantes!" Angela cried.

A voice boomed down to where they were standing. The speaker must have used magic to be heard from so far. "Finally, we were able to release the energy from the Mana Stones! Now we can fly the Gigantes into the gate!"

"That voice... it's Koren..." The fear in Angela's voice started to infect the rest of the party, shifting nervously and looking at the monstrosity above them.

"I'll never forget it! The crimson wizard!" Duran slashed the air in front of him ineffectually with his sword, frustrated that his enemy was out of reach.

The voice just laughed. "Oh, by the way... here's a little present from me!"

"_Run_!" yelled Angela, who was already doing just that.

They had barely made it into cover within the trees when the falling object crashed into the ground where they had been standing with an explosive impact. When the smoke cleared, part of the cliff edge was gone.

"Is everyone okay?" worried the Fairy, flitting from one to the other.

Lise, who had been the closest to the edge when Angela fled, had run only a few yards and been knocked unconscious by the impact. Carlie knelt down beside her and cast a small flow of healing magic into her.

"She's okay, she's just sleepy-sleepy." Carlie switched to her tinkle rain spell instead. Lise's eyes fluttered open, and she stared straight up into the sky.

"Hawk... look..." she said to the man leaning over her with a concerned look on his face. Hawk's eyes, and everyone else's, followed hers.

From the west, they saw a flock of birds carrying small creatures in their claws. From the east, another ship, this one suspended by giant balls of cloth, filled with something that caused it to rise.

"The ship's from Navarre," Hawk announced grimly. "There's a gas in the vents of the Valley of Flames that cause it to rise that way. I didn't realize production had come that far."

"But the birds?" asked Angela. The creatures in question had gotten close enough for them to see that they were in fact, giant, almost as large as Booskaboo each, and carrying men in their talons.

"Ah... from Beast Kingdom... how we get into battle..." Kevin informed them.

"We can't just stand here! We have to follow them!" Duran roared.

"There's a small problem," pointed out Hawk. The gate had been steadily rising after its opening, and was now hundreds of feet above the ground. The aerial forces could enter, but not the landbound party.

"The door... it's up there in the clouds!" Carlie was starting to snivel.

"Well, it's a bit too high for us to jump, and we don't have wings. Ideas? Anyone?" Hawk continued.

"We can't fly there, can we?" Duran was pretty sure Angela was being sarcastic.

"Wait a minute... Maybe we can..." All eyes looked at Lise. Hopefully, this was not the bump on her head talking.

"I'll explain..." She pulled herself to a sitting position, somewhat woozily. "At the peak of Rolante's highest mountain, lives a creature known as the Father of the Winged Ones. Legend has it that the Goddess herself rode this creature's back... Maybe he can help us!"

"Let's go there and find out!" Duran was ready.

Angela looked worried. "Time's running out.. it could take hours to get there." She twiddled her thumbs the way she did when she was fretting over something. "Lise... do you think your spells would work on Booskaboo?"

Understanding crossed Lise's face. "It's worth a try."

--

They climbed onto their turtle and looked at Lise expectantly. She held a sahagin's scale in her hand; she was going to need her magic to be as strong as possible for this to work.

She glanced at each of her companions in turn. "Everyone, hang tight! I think we're about to find out how well the Goddess can really keep us from falling off! Fairy, you had better get back in Angela's head, you'll never keep up if this works."

The Fairy nodded, and did just that. Lise began to cast Jinn's magic.

The turtle lurched, and the world became a blur.

Within seconds, the Island of Oblivion was left behind them. Lise flattened herself against the shell; maybe they wouldn't fall off, but the wind roaring past them at this speed was deafening. Water splashed over her as the turtle's path kicked up foam on either side. She thought she saw Jad on the right side, but it was gone in an instant. The world went flying by her.

A short time later, the turtle began a rapid deceleration before stopping at a familiar beach.

Lise looked over, and saw that Kevin was as wobbly as she was. Duran was visibly leaning on Angela for support, and trying to pretend it was the other way around. Hawk looked just plain green.

Carlie was the only one handling it well. "That was fun!" she giggled.

Lise tried to maintain her composure. "Everyone, we've made it to Palo, I'd recognize this beach anywhere!"

"Did we really just make it halfway around the world?" asked Angela.

"In about fifteen minutes," replied Hawk, looking upwards to gauge the position of the sun.

"Hurry, everyone, I know a shortcut but we still have to make it up the mountain!" Lise did not turn around to see who groaned.

--

Lise led them to a narrow, steep trail that led straight up the mountain.

Actually, almost more of a staircase than a trail, Angela decided, looking ahead. It had obviously been maintained, with steps cut into the hillside, but was a back route nonetheless. Though it was much quicker, and led right past the hideout where they had met Lise, it was obvious why it had not been used in the Rolante assault - it was far too narrow for more than single file, and way too exposed to attacks from above.

But for their small group, it was perfect, and they rapidly scaled the mountain. Lise had grown up on this trail, of course, and it proved no challenge for Hawk's agility. Angela had strapped her staff to her back and clambered ever upwards, mostly gracefully. Duran was having the toughest time, with even his lighter elven armor starting to weigh him down; several times she saw him using his sword as a staff to help pull himself up.

At the top of the mountain, the Amazon - a young one she remembered, who had escorted Lise in the last group during the Rolante assault - saluted them. "Miss Lise! Everyone will be so glad to have you back!"

"I'm sorry," said Lise to the girl, "but right now we have to get to the top of the mountain in a hurry."

"The Father of the Winged Ones? I understand. I'll open the passage." She unlocked a rusty iron door that had been built into the rock itself, leading to a narrow cavern beyond.

Before they left, Lise turned to the girl, speaking gently. "I'd rather you didn't say anything about this little stop. Until I am ready to come home for good, it will just disappoint my people." The young - well, about the same age as Lise herself - Amazon nodded.

Climbing upwards through the cavern, they emerged into a new area of the mountain characterized by narrow ledges leading to sheer drops. Angela tried not to notice the fact that she could see straight down to the valley floor in many places, especially when they had to cross stone bridges that looked as if they would collapse at any time. Those were the worst, with the sheer descent on either side, and every time she felt the slightest breeze, she became convinced that Rolante's powerful winds were going to blow her right off to her death. She pictured herself falling off, screaming, hitting rock and breaking one bone after another until finally her head opened like a melon...

"Angela, are you okay?" Duran's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "You looked absolutely terrified for a minute."

"It's nothing," she said, brushing off his concern. If it was just Duran there, she would have told him, but not in front of everyone. Hawk, running ahead like they were in the middle of the desert, would never stop making fun of her.

Looking ahead, she saw this curving ledge led up to a plateau where no further mountain could be seen. At least they weren't going any higher. The quick glance she stole to her left made her decide this was plenty high enough.

"Here!" The Fairy called out. "I found him!" She waited for her heroes to get to the top, where they were greeted by a furry, quadruple-winged dragon-like creature hovering before them. Much larger than Booskaboo, it could easily carry them all with room to spare. It looked at the new arrivals with intelligent blue eyes. "Son, can you fly us to the Mana Holyland?" the Fairy asked.

The dragon brayed. The response did not sound affirmative.

"Does anyone speak dragon?" asked Angela.

"I try," said Kevin. "Know some wolf words, maybe similar..."

Kevin spoke to the creature in a language that sounded like the one she had seen the beastmen speaking to each other in Jad, but softer somehow. After a few minutes of "conversation", the dragon playfully nuzzled him, apparently underestimating its size and strength as Kevin was knocked to the ground. Kevin just laughed, getting up to punch the creature's nose in a friendly manner.

"She says she help us," 

"She?" asked Duran.

"Well no wonder she was upset, the Fairy calling her a man and all," Hawk pointed out. "Kevin, does she have a name?"

"Hard to say in human words, but sounds like... Flammie," Kevin reported.

"Well, Flammie it is, as long as she can fly." Angela decided.

Lise, meanwhile, had been kneeling off to the side, poking in an old rusted chest. "I was hoping this was really still here..." She pulled out what looked like a wooden drum with clacking beads attached. "We'll need this to call her again, when we want to leave the Holyland. It catches the wind, see... in a way that Flammie will hear, and understand..."

A thought occurred to Angela. "Lise... why didn't we find Flammie before? We could have saved so much time."

"She probably wouldn't have been here," Lise explained. "Like Booskaboo, she is a creature of the Mana Goddess, and she is only likely to interfere with human matters in the hour of greatest need. The Goddess probably made sure she would be here waiting for us. Remember, Booskaboo found _you_, when you and Duran were drowning... and before then, we were stuck taking ships." The Fairy nodded, confirming Lise's explanation.

Angela still thought maybe the Goddess could have made things a little easier for them.

"Well, everyone on!" Kevin had already boarded their new white aircraft, and Hawk called for the rest as he followed. Neither seemed especially afraid.

"I'll ride in the back, to keep everyone balanced, and then you can lean on me, Angela." She was grateful for Duran providing a good reason for her to be safely in the middle of the group.

She felt her heart pounding as she climbed on, leaving solid ground beneath. She had ridden in the Altenan airship before, but it felt nicely solid, and she didn't have to look out windows if she didn't want to. Here, the flying dragon wavered up and down as her wings beat, and the way down was visible - _right - there_.

"Fairy," she asked, "is this like Booskaboo? We can't fall off this either?"

"Of course," the Fairy said, reassuringly, "but the ride's still a little different."

But it wasn't until Duran stepped on and put his arms tightly around her, that she finally felt a little safe.

--

"Takeoff!" shouted Hawk. He was enjoying this way too much.

As Flammie started to propel herself forward, Duran felt Angela lean closer against him, and he held her tighter. Protecting her from giant creatures of warped Mana was one thing - especially when her magic often made her better-equipped against him than he himself was - but it felt refreshing to comfort her over something so mundane.

Lise, in front of Angela, turned her head, and reached back to give the other young woman's hand a squeeze. Lise herself looked invigorated as she hadn't been in a long time. Neither heights nor wind bothered her.

Duran noticed that Carlie sat between Lise and Hawk. He could see that maybe Lise didn't want to be in a place where she could easily throw her hands around Hawk for support. He had figured that out about Lise early on; her responsibility and honor would have shamed most of the knights he knew.

Several flaps of Flammie's dual wing pairs were needed to start moving forward, but once she did, she started to accelerate at an amazing rate.

"She'll try to find winds going in our direction, and then we'll go even _faster_!" related Lise happily.

They knew when she found what she was looking for. They had been picking up speed rapidly, but all of a sudden Flammie lurched forward at what seemed to be double the speed she had before. Even so, Duran didn't feel like they were going terribly fast - until he looked down.

The sight was amazing. It was almost like looking at a map; they could see for miles forward. Never had he seen anything like it.

"Angela, look," he breathed. How could anything be more romantic than this? But Angela lifted her head from his chest and opened her eyes for barely a second; then not only did she shut them again but pulled the hood of her cloak over her head.

Well, perhaps they didn't always see eye to eye on romance.

--

The trip was not quite as insanely fast as the trip to Palo with Booskaboo - they had probably broken a few laws of physics with that one - but within the hour, they saw the Gate rapidly approaching. The green island suspended in the sea of clouds was visible at the sides of Flammie's head.

Hawk was the only one crazy enough to actually stand up on Flammie's back as they approached the gate, so he was also the only one to get a full view as they flew through the portal.

For once in his life, he was speechless. "Oh my Goddess!" was all he could say.

As Flammie began a gradual descent towards the biggest clearing in sight, the others began to gasp as they saw what he meant.

A quick glance might have assessed the Holyland as a forested island. But there was something more than that - the plants looked greener, the streams now visible looked bluer. The sky was crisscrossed with soft glowing lights that wavered gently. There was something that _felt _different about the place, like every stone, every leaf, was completely bursting with life.

And what was the Mana Goddess, if not life? It was often believed that her choice of a tree as her corporeal form indicated her blessing of life itself.

Speaking of which, the enormity of said tree was making itself apparent, even from the air. Their eyes were fixed on it - even Angela emerged from her hood - visible over the other trees even as they rapidly descended.

Duran was the first one to wrench his eyes away from the sight, and saw what was happening on the ground.

"Hey, guys..."


	25. The Center of Mana

**25. THE CENTER OF MANA (ANGELA)**

On the ground, there was a hushed silence as they looked at the disaster around them.

Bodies of Navarre rangers and ninjas, Altenan magicians, and Beastmen lay as far as the eye could see, the gruesome remnants of what had obviously been a pitched battle.

"Looks like there wasn't enough Mana to go around." Even as Hawk tried nervously to break the awkward silence with a joke, no one was able to laugh, including Hawk himself.

"How awful..." Lise said, tears forming on her cheeks. Hawk took her hand. She reached for Kevin on her other side. Slowly the group all joined hands, to remind themselves that they, at least, were alive and together.

The Fairy, having returned to Angela's head for the dragon ride, was now buzzing anxiously. Angela nodded in reluctant response. "We had better go," Angela said, as softly as possible, so as not to break the silence.

The Fairy flitted ahead to guide their steps. "It's easy to get lost here, but I can show you the way," she spoke up. "We can only hope that our enemies were too lost or busy fighting to get to the Sword first."

Despite the feeling of awe they had felt approaching the island, up close it was obvious that Mana was weakening, even here. Beautiful stone structures showed ruin and decay. Among the pavilions entangled in flowers, silver and pink rabites hopped past the travelers. As much as they tried to avoid profaning the holy ground, some were so aggressive that it was necessary to fight back.

"The Goddess will understand," the Fairy told Lise, who had inquired worriedly after spearing a particularly vicious silver rabite. It had actually jumped towards her face, trying to bite her.

"But isn't a rabite alive too?"

The Fairy sighed. "The secret of Mana, Lise, is that life is precious, and limited. The troubles of the human world come about because people seek life at the expense of someone else's life. That's how wars come around - someone wants more land, more riches, more chances to stay alive."

No one had a response. They had all seen the truth of the statement firsthand, and it had led them to where they stood now.

Around a bend, they found themselves walking under a series of tall stone arches leading up a small hill, some intact, others decayed. Walking through them had the feeling of a stately procession. It felt like a wedding... or a funeral.

They crested the hill into a series of eight stone arches. A raised pavilion stood in the center, with two of the familiar golden statues flanking the stairs to the top. Angela climbed those stairs hesitantly, as if she was treading on forbidden ground.

In the center was another statue, similar too, but somehow more beautiful than any she had seen before. Not gold, but a pearlescent light glowed within. Somehow, she could see the dark in between - the same vision she had seen when receiving the Gift of Mana.

She was scared to touch it. "What is it?" she breathed.

"I guess you could say the center of the center. The Goddess takes the form of a tree for herself, but she operates through this point in space, and the statue marks it. It is similar to the Mana Stones, but being of the Goddess herself, it has no seal, and it cannot be destroyed the way the Stones can. Even if a way to break the statue was found, this point in space would remain the same."

"And," the Fairy concluded, "it's where I get my power from."

Angela looked at her friends, who had come up the stairs behind her. None could make themselves tear their eyes away from the statue.

"But what, then, is the Sword all about?" Duran asked.

"The Sword is not a sword at all, but rather a representation of the raw energy the Goddess used to defeat the God-Beasts. Energy can neither be created or destroyed, so that first power, that she used to organize chaotic into stable energy, was kept in the form of the sword for safekeeping. The Goddess put a layer of Her personal protection on the sword, but if it is removed... A human could not channel the full force of the sword, but in the same way the humans learned to combine and synthesize the elements of Mana, so too could a human divert the power in the sword to all kinds of novel uses, be they good or evil."

What the Fairy was saying was alarming, Angela thought. They were not as strong as the Elementals or the Fairy, but they could _learn _to become more powerful - and she wondered if that might ultimately put them on a level with the Goddess herself.

"We'd better go on to the Sword," she told her friends, trying to keep the fright from her voice.

--

They knew they were reaching their goal. The enormous canopy of the Mana Tree dominated the sky above them, this close. Angela wobbled across another log bridge, and as she passed the copse of bushes on her right, she saw it.

The Mana Tree, in all its enormous glory.

And at the base... the Mana Sword.

As her friends spilled into the clearing behind her, Angela realized she was already running, running towards the Sword. Panic had overtaken her; it was as if she saw herself from above, leaping up onto the root in which the Sword was embedded. With all her might, she yanked on it.

Pain like she had never experienced flowed through her. She felt like her whole body had been plunged into flames hotter that she thought possible. It lasted only a split second, but the memory persisted, as she found herself flat on her back with Duran bending down over her, fear and concern on his face.

"Angela, did the Sword bite back?" teased Hawk's voice.

The Fairy flitted between her and Duran. At this close range she was very large. "Angela... you tried to take it by force. That won't work here. You have to convince it to give in to you."

Angela had a funny thought that she was trying to seduce the Sword. She started laughing. She must seem hysterical.

But as Duran helped her to her feet, there was no skepticism on the faces of her friends. She took a deep breath, and slowly reached for the Sword, fearing the pain again.

She only touched the hilt, but did not pull. She started to be able to _feel _through the Sword.

She could feel the Sword's desire to escape, the power that would be unleashed. She felt the power of the Mana Stones through it... light... earth... wind... water... fire... moon... wood. Somewhere in there, she felt the dark Stone as well, though when she tried to picture it, its location was hazy - almost as if it was in more than one place at a time.

Something was searching her mind as well, like electricity through her brain. Random thoughts crept up, her past, her present, maybe even her future, if that was possible.

As she felt the power of the Mana Stones slip away, the Goddess found her worthy, and the Sword began to slide out. She looked down in surprise to see the Sword, clear of its prison, in her hand. That was the trick, she realized; their enemies might have even reached the sword before them, but would not be able to pull it free of the Goddess's own protection.

She saw her friends looking at her expectantly, like they expected some miraculous revelation out of her, but Angela was absorbed in her own euphoria. "I did it! The Sword of Mana! I got the Sword before Mother! Fairy, I got it!"

There was no response from their small companion. "Fairy?"

This wasn't funny. "Fairy, where are you? What do I do with this sword?"

The light that began to appear in front of her was far too big to be the Fairy.

But as the woman's form came into definition, Angela suddenly realized. This was no fairy. This was the Goddess herself. She was the most beautiful woman Angela had ever seen.

But sadness crossed her face.

"Angela... heroine of the Sword... hear me... the Fairy has been taken by an evil hand. Please... you must save her..."

Was the Goddess saying _please _to her? A far cry from her mother calling her a disgrace. It made her cocky.

"Wait a minute! If you're the Goddess, weren't you supposed to grant our wishes?"

Behind her, all her friends' voices spilling into each other.

"Ah... my friend Karl..."

"...Jessica is very ill..."

"...you'd better go help my Grampa right now..."

"Please... my brother Elliott..."

The sadness never changed. "The power of Mana is dying... the tree will wither soon, and I will be gone. It is too late for me to help you more... let the Mana guide you... save the Fairy..."

"Wait!" Angela cried, but the Goddess was already fading from view.

Much later, they would all remember the Goddess's last words to them.

"And even if the Sword dies, the Fairy must live..."

--

Carlie was disappointed. She wanted to talk to the Goddess more.

But the Goddess told them to save the Fairy, and that was good enough for Carlie. She was ready to go, yup! She didn't understand why the others seemed so sad and slow, when they had a job to do!

So the grownups followed behind her slowly while she ran ahead. They returned to the Goddess's special statue, then retraced their steps further, making lots of turns on their way back to the entrance.

But suddenly she stopped when she saw the scary man, turning around and running backwards until her friends caught up with her, and they saw the scary man too.

"Deathjester!" Duran said. "You kidnapped the Fairy?"

"Oh heavens no! If I had, I wouldn't be lollygagging around here! I'd be waiting behind you in ambush, preparing to take you with the element of surprise!"

"Hmm, should we walk back out, come in again and pretend you're not here?" asked Hawk.

"Hehehe... I was left here to deliver a message. My Master has been executed in an attack on the Mirage Palace, by the same perpetrators who kidnapped your Fairy... and they would gladly have you meet them at the entrance!"

Carlie didn't care what the scary man was called. "Hey you! You're the weirdo who took my Heath! Give him back! What did you do with him? Give him back, give him back!"

The scary man laughed. "Heath... well, he's a bit of a weirdo... Our master was killed, but he didn't seem to know who he was anymore... And then he just disappeared somewhere - like that! I haven't a clue what became of him. Is that enough? Well, then, ta-ta!" And he disappeared.

"Not really him at all... just an image," Hawk noted. "Who knows if he really is even alive anymore?"

"Well, it sounds like it doesn't matter," said Angela. "Whoever we're after, apparently they know we're coming... and they are not afraid."

--

Angela was not surprised at who she found at the entrance, holding the Fairy's unconscious form in his hand.

"Koren, stop! Give back the fairy!" Duran was at her side, silent, sword at the ready. This _magician _was the tie that had first bound them together.

The Darkshine Knight stood at Koren's left, saying nothing, but looking quietly threatening, his posture an strange mirror of Duran's. She hadn't known there was a connection between the dark knight and Koren, but it wasn't terribly surprising. Perhaps the knight _had _been waiting for them by the Stone of Ice...

"Oh, Angela, all you ever do is whine, whine, whine. Have I ever told you that?"

"You speak to her like that again... you die." Duran's voice was cold.

A considering expression appeared on Koren's face. He looked from Angela to Duran and back again. "So that's how it goes... Well, no matter. If you want the fairy back, you'll have to meet us in Altena. And bring the Sword of Mana!"

A flash of dark energy enveloped them, and they were gone.

"Oh, Mother, why... how can I forgive you for _this_?" She fell to the ground, crouching there sorrowfully. After all they had gone through to reach the Sword... what could she do now?

She felt Duran's touch on her shoulder, and looked up into his expression of determination. "They couldn't pull out the Sword by themselves... so they waited for us to do it... This will _not_ go unanswered!"

"Th... they cheat!" growled Kevin.

She could use some of Duran's brazen confidence right about now. "So what do we do? It's definitely a trap..."

"I don't think we can run from this. The Fairy is in danger... we have to go," interjected Hawk.

"He's right. Even if it means we get caught in Koren's trap... we cannot leave the Fairy to die. I'll show them no mercy!" After Duran's brazen pronouncement, Angela let him help her to her feet again. She still was afraid and uncertain… but he was right.

She turned to address her friends. "I won't let them bully me around anymore! Let's go, Altena is waiting!"

--

"Something's bothering me," Hawk called over the wind, as they flew in a rather more leisurely fashion towards Altena.

"What's that?" asked Angela.

"When we first landed, we saw plenty of Navarrian casualties. But... we never saw Bigieu."


	26. Homecoming

**26. HOMECOMING (ANGELA)**

Where Angela had been able to blend in, in distant Elrand, there would be no such luck in Altena city proper, where everyone knew her on sight.

But they had to go.

Angela had taken pains to dress that morning, in Elrand. If she was going home, she was going home as who she really was, the Princess of Reason. Duran had kindly purchased and altered a sword belt for her, so the surprisingly lightweight Sword of Mana was strapped to her back.

The gates of the city were wide open - as if their arrival had been expected - but the group entered anyway. Her friends were all poised and ready for battle, waiting for any attack.

The preparation was all for nothing. Of all the responses she had expected, she had never hoped to be greeted with cheers.

"It's Princess Angela!"

"Princess, you've returned! We're saved!"

"The soldiers say you've become as powerful as Koren! Please, we need your help!"

"Monsters have taken over the castle!"

The last speaker, an Altenan soldier-mage, was the one she turned to first. "What did you say?"

"When Koren came back to Altena from the Mana Stones, the monsters started appearing..."

"Well, if that doesn't prove Koren is evil, I don't know what does," she whispered to her friends, too low for the crowd to hear.

"I thought we had pretty well established that," Hawk murmured back.

Another spoke up. "They've overrun the castle!"

"Monsters, their magic more powerful than our own!"

"The Queen is still inside!"

The Queen. Mother. Angela hoped fervently that her mother was captive, not ally. She didn't want to think of the implications of the latter.

Angela raised her hand for silence. The crowd shushed. She felt exulted, it was just as when Lise faced her troops; somehow she had gained the respect of her people.

"Why have you not fled?"

Silence, for a moment. "Well, your Highness... the strange part is, they left the town completely alone."

"But even if we left... there are monsters in the snowfield, more than ever before, we're trapped..."

"The best we can do is to stay and try to protect our children if they attack us."

"I'm scared!" cried a little girl, with purple hair like her own, the color common to Altena.

"A dark shadow will consume Altena and spread to the rest of the world!" A bent, withered old crone stepped forward. "It will be the end of life as we know it!" Murmurs trickled through the previously sedate crowd. She could sense panic starting to spread. Living under these conditions, it was not surprising the people were so volatile.

It was time for her to show what she had learned from her mother, and her friend. She turned slightly to look at Lise, whose imperceptible nod gave her the strength she needed to continue.

"My people," she began, as loudly as she could manage, "I have returned to you, more powerful than before, with these, brave warriors of many lands." And one little Wendelic girl currently poking at the flowers in front of the inn. "Together, we will free Altena from the curse that has been placed upon it, and our country will be stronger than before!" The anger that rose from her as she spoke was not feigned.

Just for good measure, she cast a fireball over the roofs of the town. It wasn't her best, but it did have the desired effect, as the crowd roared and panic turned to hope.

As she began to walk forward, Lise at one side, and Duran on the other, the crowd parted with low bows and deep curtsies.

Out of earshot, she spoke to Lise. "I have no idea what we are going to face here, or if we will be successful. How do you always look so sure of yourself?"

"Well, honestly, sometimes you have to lie," Lise replied. "If you don't seem to believe, then no one else will, either - and whatever you are facing is not half as dangerous as the way people will defeat themselves from inside."

--

They traversed the long, tree lined walk up to the castle's main gate. Strange to think that only a hundred yards of paving separated the town from a castle full of monsters.

Unlike the castle in Forcena, with its solid walls, Angela's birthplace had a delicate, ethereal beauty that made you look twice, like the woman herself. But Duran suspected that, also like the woman, there was a deceptive amount of strength on the inside.

The monsters rushed up to meet them almost immediately. The machine golems they had faced while searching for Undine. With his class change, he swept those away almost scornfully; Kevin's double punch took them out without help from anyone. Hawk was a blur, seeming to be everywhere at once. The unicorn heads, minor demonic creatures summoned from the underworld, were dispatched with slashes of Lise's spear and swings of Carlie's morningstar.

Angela busied herself counterattacking the black wizards, dark souls animated with the powers of deceased Altenan forces. Before the class change, they would have been too much for Angela, but with the power of an Oracle flowing through her, one spell after another attacked the dark magicians. He wished he could just watch her, it was like - well, like magic.

"The main throne room is a small building in the center of the castle courtyard!" called Angela. "Koren's just the sort of arrogant son of a bitch to be waiting for us on my mother's throne!"

Also unlike the Forcenan stronghold, the route through the Altenan castle was not direct, nor did the castle have any real symmetry once inside. As Angela led them through the twisted corridors of her home, he saw that where one would expect to find weapons or statues, there were books, books everywhere. Angela seemed to be leading them inward, not outside, but in the center of the building a grand, curving staircase led them up to the second story, and outside onto the parapets of the castle, into the courtyard Angela spoke of - and the throne room ahead. They strode forward, prepared for confrontation.

Angela's hunch was right. There, sitting on the throne, with one leg thrown casually over the side, sat Koren.

"You're late, _Princess_," he said, sneering.

--

The Darkshine Knight attended him to the right of the throne, but it was the woman laying facedown in front, violet hair like Angela's own, which caught her attention.

"Mother!" Angela cried. Valda's crown had tumbled off, and unadorned like that, her mother looked not like the Queen who Angela loved and feared, but a terribly vulnerable woman.

Valda opened her eyes. A brief moment of clarity shone. "Angela... forgive me..." she gasped, before her eyes drifted off again and closed. _What had Koren done?!_

She began to run up the dais, but she heard Koren's voice, cold as ice. "Stop right there," he said, and the Darkshine Knight put his blade up to Valda's throat.

Angela stopped in her tracks. Not even Hawk could reach Valda before her throat was slit beyond what healing magic could fix. And she knew Koren would be able to tell the instant she began to form a spell. She wasn't fooling herself, she wasn't as strong as him - yet.

"Well, Angela, this might be a good time to hand over that Sword." Koren waited expectantly.

"You... you little coward!" came a man's voice behind her.

"I'm afraid flattery will get you nowhere, Duran." Angela motioned for Duran to stay back. They all knew it would probably come to this.

Angela pulled the Sword from where it had been strapped to her back, but did not approach Koren. She stood in place, holding its point to the floor, her hands over the pommel. At least that got Koren to stand from her mother's throne.

He walked to her and stood face to face with her. He was a few inches taller than she was, and as much as she hated to look up at him, she forced herself to meet his eyes. His left hand covered hers on the pommel, and he leaned in very close to her. He whispered in her ear, but loudly enough for all to hear.

"Such power... such beauty. Only fitting that I possess it... I do like beautiful things, Angela." He leaned in as if to kiss her, but she jerked her head away, and the sharp daggers in her eyes seemed to make him think twice of it. She heard Duran's sharp intake of breath.

Koren instead reached up with his free hand and twirled a lock of her violet hair. Turning to where her friends stood, at the bottom of the dais, he spoke in a louder voice. "What do you think, Duran? It's killing you to think about this, I know. I think I will ask my master to save her for me. If you survive, I'll chain you up and let you watch while I ravage the woman you love." He turned back to Angela with an evil grin. "Why resist my charms, Princess? Your mother enjoyed them just fine."

Angela hoped he was only baiting her, feeling a knot in her stomach at the thought of Koren mistreating her mother that way. She did not turn to see her lover's expression, forcing herself to absolute stillness, focusing on maintaining slow, deep breaths. She would never give Koren the satisfaction of her fear. _Please, Duran, _she thought_, don't try to protect me now, or my mother is dead._

"But for now... I think this is enough." His right hand felt for the hilt of the Sword, and Angela allowed him to pull it out from underneath her hands.

As he turned away, he didn't even make it back to the throne before the arm holding the sword began to droop visibly. "Suddenly... getting... so... heavy."

Angela could not hold back her laugh. She put her hands on her hips and watched the wizard struggle with the sword, now unable to lift it from the floor. Infusing her voice with scorn, she called, "Give it up, Koren! The Sword doesn't like you any more than I do!"

He looked up at her hatefully. "Oh, but you don't know everything, Angela..."

Angela leaned forward as he started to cast. She had heard of the spell, it was one of the old spells of the evil shamen...

"Antimagic," she breathed. Turning, she called to her friends fearfully. "He's taking off the Goddess's own protection!" Even as she spoke, Koren hefted the sword as lightly as Angela herself had.

The Darkshine Knight spoke in that deathly, booming voice. "The Sword of Mana is nothing more than a repository of power. By the will of our master, we will shape it into a dark blade... and we will first release the God-Beasts."

"_Enough_, Koren! You have what you wanted, now give back the Fairy, and my mother!"

"Well, about that, Angela... I'm going to need your mother for a little while longer. As for the Fairy, you'll have to take that one up with Bigieu... in Navarre."

"I _knew_ she was still alive!" Hawk called angrily.

"Navarre? What does _she _have to do with this?" Lise's spearhead appeared at Angela's right.

"Well, she had a little problem with her Dark Prince. Something about him passing away when he tried to open the gate himself. Serves him right for trying when he had only unsealed one stone. We unsealed four, to be on the safe side. Anyway, I used the Stones to revive him, figuring I can easily eliminate him later, and in return, she agreed to take the fairy off my hands."

Angela was in shock. She hadn't foreseen her enemies conspiring together.

"You will, of course, be going to retrieve the fairy?" The questioning in his eyes was purely rhetorical. Somehow, Koren _knew _about the Goddess's instructions. Had he been there, eavesdropping, after grabbing the Fairy?

"I'll be waiting for you, Angela." Koren blew a kiss to her mockingly as he, Valda, and the Darkshine Knight disappeared. The shiver of Mana told Angela the teleport spell she had stumbled on to escape Altena was tragically well-known among their enemies.

Even before Koren had disappeared completely out of sight, Duran grabbed her with a force he never used on her. "He... will... not... have... you." She had never seen a look that frightening in his eyes. "I will die before that happens!"

She reached up to stroke his hair, letting his anger settle. "If it comes to that, I'd rather die myself." His anger blazed again, and even held still against his chest, Angela shivered.

--

With Valda missing, Angela was Queen, for the moment at least. It was a very strange feeling to her.

Practically speaking, though, all it meant was that she decided to take her mother's bedroom for the duration of their stay, just a day or two, and delegate some responsibilities to her mother's advisors.

Her own bedroom, she gave to Lise, showing her best friend to her quarters with a little bit of girlish enthusiasm. Lise threw herself backwards on the bed, squirming in happily.

"Angela..." Lise sighed. "I haven't had a bed this nice since we left Rolante."

"I guess we've both come home, then." The two women looked at each other. Lise's expression fell first, but it sobered Angela as well. Yes, their homes were safe now, but when would they be home for good?

Angela sat next to her friend on the bed. They talked for a long time, though avoiding the events of the day... Angela wasn't sure she had lost that unsettling feeling herself, and she definitely wasn't ready to discuss it.

But as she got up to leave, she turned to Lise with one piece of advice. "Let Hawk stay with you tonight, Lise," she said, her arm on the doorframe. "You never know when you might be taken from the one you love."

She left hurriedly, before Lise could be embarrassed by her frankness.

--

Lise tossed and turned on Angela's luxurious bed. Despite the comfort, she could not sleep.

She knew why Angela had told her what she had. Watching Koren leer at her, pulling close, that twirl of Angela's hair... it put fear into her own heart. She didn't know how Angela had managed to stay so calm.

And Angela was right. In what they were doing, they never knew what might happen next.

Climbing out of bed, she lit the candle on the writing table. A hastily scrawled note, and she summoned one of the servants with the bell.

"Please," she asked the young man. "I'm sorry to wake you - " she was always exquisitely polite, even with her own servants "- but would you take this to Hawk, the Navarrese man?"

As the servant left with a bow, she hoped she had made the right decision.

--

Hawk answered the knock from the young serving man, who bowed deeply.

"Peace, man," he said, "if I didn't know Angela, I'd probably be stealing your wallet on the street."

No response to that. It appears he would be treated as an honored guest whether he liked it or not.

"A message, sir, from the Queen Rieszella." Hawk was always surprised hearing that name in reference to the woman he only ever thought of as Lise.

But reading the paper, he was even more surprised. Throwing on one of the luxuriously thick Altenan robes, he was out of his room in a hurry.

--

Duran had never been like this with her; it felt like he was marking his territory, claiming her.

Under the circumstances, she didn't entirely mind. She didn't know if Koren had been bluffing about himself and her mother - maybe she would never know - but she would not put it past him to take first mother, then daughter. Duran's rage made her feel safe somehow in a way that no magic, no swords ever could.

It must have been an hour or two later when they lay together, in the Queen's bed. He looked at her with both love and pain. It seemed Koren had affected him even more than her in some ways.

She tried to soothe him. "It's the Queen's bed," she said, teasingly. "If I'm Queen, then are you my king, or just my latest consort?"

She expected a shocked response, or maybe a joke worthy of Hawk. But the look she saw, she only had truly seen once before.

And not on Duran.

"I want her all the time." Hawk had said. "I can't stop thinking about her. I want her so much it hurts, I want her more every day."

Now that same expression was gazing on her. Duran did not have the grasp of words Hawk did.

"Angela..." he began, but didn't seem to know where to go from there. "Whatever you want... or need..."

A year ago, those words might have made her laugh and scorn the man for his neediness. But it had been too long, too many nights, too many days, too many near-death experiences with this man.

Even as the depth of his feelings always seemed to take her by surprise, she knew she would give him whatever she could as well.

--

It was within the hour that Lise opened the door to Hawk, leaning against the side of the doorframe with an exaggerated casualness that she knew concealed nervousness.

They looked at each other for a long moment, wistful sadness floating between them. "I could try," Hawk finally said.

In his right hand was her note, her writing clearly visible. _Could you stay the night with me, if we did nothing more?_

She opened her arms to him, and he stepped inside her - well, Angela's - room, shutting the door with his foot. Encircling her in return, they stood for a long moment.

She couldn't help it. She started to cry. With him, she could feel safe enough to do so.

He seemed to know just why she was upset. He usually did, sometimes before she knew herself. "Don't be afraid, Lise," he whispered. "Koren's a sadistic bastard, and one day he'll get what's coming to him."

He was right, and it comforted her. As her sobs slowly faded, he gently led her to the bed, pulling the blankets over her.

He waited until she was comfortable before slipping in beside her, one arm around her, their heads close. It was like their stay in the frozen snowfields, his presence comforting. She had shared that tent with Hawk so Angela could be with Duran, but it was out there in the snow that she thought of what Angela and Duran were doing with their privacy, wishing she could share the same but afraid to ask.

Feeling him next to her now, Lise realized nothing would ever change the fact that they had been lovers, if only for a moment.

As she fell asleep next to him, one thought ran through her mind. I've denied how I felt for so long, Hawk, about you and about so many other things. If we can ever be together, I will never fight the way I feel again.

--

Carlie was so excited. There was snow right on her balcony! She shaped it into balls, making snow-rabites.

Kevin kept her company for a while; he didn't say much, but had been perfectly content to play in the snow with her for a while. The beastman now sat inside by the fire, kind of watching her the way Heath used to, though she knew she was a bigger girl now and she could take care of herself.

Who was that bad man today? she wondered. She knew his spell, though... antimagic... She had lost her own chance to learn it, when she chose to become a Priestess, but she knew how it worked.

Wendel's Enchantresses had developed the spell. It was some demon magic stuff, but they had figured out how to make it safer. It could take away the Goddess's Mana power, or that of any other magic user. She knew it was pretty dangerous, but in order to protect the Goddess, they sometimes needed to know things that were dangerous to Her.

She didn't think the sword was such a big deal, but the Fairy... She hoped they found the Fairy soon. Carlie would really miss her otherwise.


	27. The Silent Sand Palace

**27. THE SILENT SAND PALACE (HAWK)**

"Navarre..."

Lise was suddenly afraid to face Bigieu. This was the woman who conquered her castle, and who now held her brother. She had hoped that the Goddess would be able to bring him home again, but Lise had the sinking feeling that she was on her own.

They would probably face much as they had faced in Altena, only worse so. In Altena Koren had controlled monsters, but the rumors, over and over, suggested that they would face true demons in Navarre. Bigieu apparently had some connection with the underworld. Was that what she was after?

Hawk looked just as tense as she was. She wanted to comfort him, but contented herself with a hand on his shoulder. He squeezed it slightly in response.

She brooded silently on her own that night, finally settling into shallow sleep. The next day they summoned Flammie once again, and for the second time on their journeys, traveled from the freezing cold to the blazing heat.

They had steered well clear of the Sand Fortress when previously in the desert, but now Flammie flew straight to it. Lise was fascinated as they approached the rocky plateaus in the northeast of the desert, into whose rocks the Fortress had been carved directly, over a period of hundreds of years. It might not be a true kingdom, but the wealth it controlled gave Navarre a position of significance.

Hawk stepped up to the heavy metal doors, and put his hand on the handle with a flourish. "Welcome to my home sweet home."

--

Inside the first cavern, it was as silent as a tomb.

Hawk did not want to think about what that might mean. He had grown up here, and the echoes in the Fortress meant that you never truly felt alone. There was always someone talking or laughing, even in the middle of the night; that was the favored time of the thieves, and others simply preferred the night's chill to the day's burning rays. His room - if he could indeed call it his still - overlooked the central courtyard, and it was often he would watch from his windows until the small hours of the morning.

He remembered Jessica with him, the two of them giggling like children on his bed, trying to decide whether to go down and join the festivities of the night, or whether to stay together in his room. Her brother's room, on the east side of the courtyard, was visible from his own; sometimes he and Jess would wave to Eagle, who usually had some girl or another with him. Had he and Jess continued to marriage, they would have been brothers in truth.

How much of that family was left to him now?

It was only the quicker reflexes he had been developing since the class change, that allowed him to see the Nightblade before he delivered a killing blow to Lise. Even so, he barely was able to push her out of the way quick enough for the knives to stab her forearm, not her heart.

His companions had not caught the first flicker of motion, but now they were immediately on the defensive. But they sat, weapons at the ready, looking around uncertainly.

"Where the hell _are_ they?" Duran boomed.

"There's one!" Hawk pointed, and Duran wheeled in time to catch the Nightblade on his sword before it could reach him with those lightning-quick knives.

"This is Navarre! You have to start thinking like a thief!" Hawk could not just stand there pointing out enemies for them, he already saw the flickers of another shadow behind a rock. "And these are Nightblades, the deadliest assassins! They're so quick, you'll think you're fighting three even when there are only one!" He barely caught the next one, and though the ninja's eyes were soulless, they looked familiar somehow. He tried not to think of who the assassins might have once been.

Lise, having been quickly healed by Carlie, had backed into a corner. _Smart girl_, Hawk thought. Against any other opponent, that would have been a deadly choice, but as it were, she had just limited the area from which they could sneak up on her.

Kevin seemed to be getting to them almost as quickly as he himself, and his brute strength made him much a match for the Nightblades' speed. But Hawk was the one who was spotting them, and he knew a way to slow them down. The Ninja had a little trick up his sleeve which he had been waiting to use.

The spell he cast, a technique from Gnome, was not as impressive as Angela's brutal offensive spells. But the rocky cloud hit the next Nightblade dead on. The earth attack, he knew, was not the primary effect.

"What was _that_?" Angela would have been the first one to realize he was casting magic.

"Something that will slow them down!" It was the same jutsu techniques used against them by Bill and Ben, so long ago, but the ancient skills of the ninja that had once eluded him now came to him as naturally as he breathed.

The enemies were coming slower now, and Carlie's healing magic was not needed as often to stem the cuts that kept appearing. But they were almost overwhelmed by sheer numbers, and Hawk could only slow one down at a time.

"How we find them faster?" asked Kevin.

"I have an idea! Everyone, stand still, and get together!" Although surprised, they did as she asked in a break between assaults. As the caverns became silent, no further assassins jumped at them, unable to use the advantage of stealth.

Angela herself tiptoed to the circle. She began to cast a spell.

Outwards from the tight group, fireballs exploded in all directions. Few yelps escaped, a testament to the Nightblades' absolute commitment to stealth, but the shock caused enough motion for the party to identify their hiding places.

"They know we know where they are, Hawk! Slow down as many as you can!"

Between Angela and Hawk, they were able to contain the shadowy assault, and as the attacks diminished, then stopped, they wearily exited the caverns into the sunlight.

"Now," directed Hawk, "we enter the fortress itself."

Entering through the main doors was always awe-inspiring to first-timers, not realizing that a structure like this could exist in the desert cliffs. His friends were no different; Angela, in particular, seemed a little chastened by the elegance of the Navarre Sand Fortress.

"We'll have plenty of time to admire it, after we save it," Hawk reminded her.

"Where we look?" asked Kevin.

"Well, judging from past experience, the throne room seems to be a safe bet," Lise reasoned.

Hawk corrected her. "This is Navarre, we don't have kings, so we don't have a throne room."

"Well, whatever you call it, then," Angela insisted. "Pick the most important room here, and that's where we're going."

--

Angela looked pained. She had not liked what had happened in the last throne room, even less so than the rest of them.

But nevertheless, the demons that stepped out to greet them showed they were going the right way. Hulking man-beasts they were, with long claws and scaly wings to accompany the horns coming out of their heads.

One raised a clawed hand to point in their direction, and Angela felt the Mana surge. _Shade's power_, she thought, diving to avoid the bolt of darkness that barreled towards her. But it was somehow twisted.

Shade must be offended by the misuse of his power. Perhaps he could help her get rid of them. She prepared a spell he had taught her, untainted dark element. The black hole appeared around the six demons in front of them. As the hole snapped inward, the demons were pulled inside, and disappeared as the evil gate diminished to nothingness.

"What the hell?" Duran asked.

"So to speak," added Hawk.

Angela hadn't been sure a Dark spell would work, but she didn't plan to tell them that. "I just sent them back to where they came from. They're not dead... if they weren't already... but they won't bother us for a while."

--

They entered the throne - or whatever - room to find Bigieu awaiting them, arrogance embodied.

"Welcome," she said, her voice a lascivious purr. The Fairy hung in a cage swinging from a light fixture by the raised dais, lying pitifully prone and seemingly under a spell of some sort, eyes closed.

But there was another, a vampire-man, pale as milk, with red eyes. Hawk had seen that man before. 

"I saw you... the day Eagle died... You must be Bigieu's connection to evil..."

The figure only turned its red, demonic eyes. "Indeed, you are right, Hawk. I am Jagan, the demon entrusted to link Bigieu to the underworld. We, the inhabitants of the underworld, were sealed away long ago because the goddess feared us. Now, we will finally merge our the worlds together, under the leadership of the Dark Prince, and the demons will roam the earth once more!"

"That doesn't sound especially desirable to me," Hawk said.

Lise was tensed, spear at the ready. "My brother... what have you done to him? First, Elliott, and now the Fairy!"

"Oh, he's safe for the moment. The Dark Prince will have a very important job for him!" Bigieu stretched languidly.

"You... you coward! I'll never forgive you for this!"

"Now, now, Lise, let's not be rude! And as for the Fairy, you can talk to Jagan about that. I have other matters to attend to. Nice knowing you!" And Bigieu disappeared into thin air, as she had before.

Jagan - that must be the vampire - stepped forward. His red eyes narrowed as he grinned evilly.

And they swept into action.

--

Hawk was the first to reach Jagan, but as he slashed at the vampire's cloak, Jagan faded out of view to appear again at the opposite side of the room. He switched direction quickly, but the vampire raised his hand, and suddenly Hawk felt himself being thrown backwards.

He landed with a grunt on his back, thankfully missing the wall. With the force with which he had been flung backwards, he would have been knocked out cold.

Kevin, at the other wall, swung a punch, but again the vampire faded to reappear at the south wall. He saw Lise swinging her spear towards Jagan, missing as he warped yet again. This was going to be quite irritating.

--

Duran scored a direct hit, only to be scornfully hurled backwards as Hawk had been. Obviously, Jagan's strategy was to either flee, or counterattack brutally.

Angela planned her strategy. This thing was a demon, too? Maybe she could use the same trick she had used on the lesser demons before.

Casting Shade's magic, she opened the evil gate. As the black hole snapped shut, though, Jagan stood there, as real as ever.

"Dark magic?" he sneered. "Let me show you how it's done."

The dark force came flying at her. Ducking the spell, she retaliated.

The holy balls she cast next seemed to be ineffective, glancing off that maggot-white skin without a scrape. If dark didn't work, and light didn't work, what was left?

In frustration, she threw a giant and uncontrolled fireball towards the vampire.

He shrieked as it hit, and his pale white flesh began to crackle and burn before them. It was a matter of seconds before he disintegrated before them, the cloak falling to the floor, much less singed than the creature inside it.

Angela finished the job by opening another gate, and calmly using air magic to sweep Jagan's remains out of the Navarre throne room.

--

Thankfully, the spell on the Fairy had been of Jagan, not Bigieu, and faded as soon as the devil breathed his last - if he ever had been truly alive at all.

"Hey, guys? Help, please!" They heard the voice of their familiar companion.

Hawk walked up and, pulling the cage down, released the lock with a couple quick flicks from one of his daggers. "Fairy, are you okay?"

She shook her wings out slightly, then buzzed over to her host. "I'm sorry... it may be too late. I should check on the Mana Stones... Angela, if you would?"

Angela closed her eyes so the Fairy could see through them instead.

She emerged after a minute. "It's just as I feared... the Stones are breaking, and the God-Beasts have revived... If they combine their powers, we'll never be able to stop them!"

"Koren's using the Sword already!" gasped Angela.

"There's still something else that's wrong here," said Hawk.

All eyes turned to him.

"Where are all the people?"


	28. Endings and Beginnings

**28. ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS (LISE)**

Hawk was adamant that the Navarrians were still in the castle.

"She's been using mind control," he pointed out, "so they wouldn't have been able to flee."

Lise wondered, did that spell hold the people still? Would the people they found be soulless and deadly, like the ninja in Rolante?

The only choice was to begin a thorough search of the Fortress. It took hours, through the levels, the kitchens, the bedrooms, even the jail cells. Lise began to realize that the Sand Fortress was, in fact, a formidable entity.

Hawk was beginning to give up. "Maybe she just killed them all," he mused.

"Come on, Hawk," she said in her most reassuring tone, "there must be someplace we haven't looked yet."

Hawk just looked at her morosely, but then suddenly he jumped to his feet. "I've got it! The treasure room! Really, the one thing Bigieu does not seem to want is treasure."

He led them back to the main chamber. There was no sign of an opening, though once Lise looked closely, she thought she saw faint variances in the light pattern. Hawk tinkered with some bricks that to her eyes looked no different from the rest. A lock clicked, and a wall slid open.

"Lumina, some light, if you would."

The Elemental silently obliged Hawk's request, and as the door creaked open, a crowd of people were seen, putting faces to the bars that covered the opening to the treasure room.

"Thank the Goddess! We're saved!"

"No! Thank Hawk!"

"We must send messages to the rest of the people!"

"Bigieu took Jessica! Has she been found?"

Women crowded around Hawk as he pulled the bars open, weeping and kissing him. Men embraced and cheered him. Hawk tried to answer everyone's questions at once. "Jessica's safe in Deen. We have a girl who can heal Flamekhan, and she and a Knight can together help the rest. No, Bigieu has not been killed. No, she won't be coming back..."

And the question from one little boy, that Hawk paused before answering. "Yes... I'm a Ninja now..." Lise wasn't quite sure why he seemed afraid to answer that.

The rest of the group merely stood back as Hawk organized his people, sending them to various places. "It will take a few days to get everyone back, but we can start rebuilding - now," he announced in a loud voice. "Bigieu has stolen much from us, but we will reclaim our home."

When he finally looked over and caught Lise's eyes, she was looking at him with nothing but pride.

--

Flamekhan was not with the rest, the rescued Navarrese informed him. He had been left in his bedroom. Apparently, as ill as Bigieu had made him, she no longer considered him a threat.

Hawk had worried that it was some curse like what had been done to Jessica, but this appeared to be an ordinary illness. A little effort on Carlie's part, and Flamekhan was sitting up, looking nearly as healthy as Hawk himself.

"Hawk..." The middle-aged man, strong-faced still despite his graying hair, looked disoriented.

"You're safe now, Khan. Bigieu's gone."

"My children... Jessica... Eagle..."

"Jessica's safe. Nikita's watching over her in Deen as we speak. Eagle..."

Hawk could not bring himself to continue, but Flamekhan nodded. "Say no more, Hawk. My son will watch us from the Holyland, but at least you have returned to me."

--

It took a week, actually, to find everyone who had fled to Sultan, Deen, and the many smaller desert villages. Hawk knew it might still be a while to find those who had fled into the desert alone - if they survived at all.

Jessica and Nikita arrived on that seventh day, with a large group from Deen. She was as fresh and healthy as he remembered her, before the curse. "Hawk," she said, throwing her arms around him, then kissing him on both cheeks before fully on the lips. "It was you, I remember."

She pulled away from his face, and kept her arms entwined around his neck as she turned to look at the rest of the Mana heroes. "I'm sorry, I remember very little, but I remember all of you helping save me, and I thank you."

Hawk introduced them all in turn. Was it his imagination, or did Jessica's bright smile droop when he introduced Lise?

She couldn't know. He flashed back to a night in Elrand, Lise pulling his body closer, him tangling his fingers in her long silky hair while he...

He pushed the memory down roughly. This was no time to be thinking of that.

"My father..." Jessica trailed off, afraid to ask.

"Weak, but alive," Hawk told her. "Carlie rescued him from the brink of death. He's being well cared for in the infirmary."

"Then I must go attend him. You will see to the feasting, won't you, my love?" She pulled away from her deep kiss goodbye to swing her gaze over the others.

--

Lise stayed away from Hawk that night, he noticed. He couldn't blame her if she wanted to keep her distance when he and Jessica were together.

Everyone around them, all his friends, thought it was great that the two of them were back together. Nikita beamed at the couple. Hawk was happy to see her again, he had missed her terribly, but at the same time there was something in the way. He kept stealing glances at Lise, who steadfastly kept her eyes averted, but then he would look back at Jess and see her eyes looking back at him, questioning.

The Navarrians were not sticklers for rank. They had accepted the presence of the Princess of Altena in their midst with an easygoing respect, giving her a place of honor at the table but largely ending the ceremonies there. Her recent exile only seemed to enthuse the thieves' guild more, and she integrated easily with the coarse jokes offered by the men - and the worse ones from the women. Duran's arm around her kept her out of awkward situations - that, and the sword by his chair. Angela even seemed to click with Jess - knowing the closeness between Angela and Lise, Hawk wondered what that was all about.

Lise chose to remain relatively anonymous, using only her Amazon name, with no title. But her coloring gave her away. "Say, aren't you an Amazon?" one dark-skinned man, whom Hawk remembered as quite a success with the ladies, asked her.

"Ummm..." Lise didn't have a chance to answer. "Of course she is, Edge, look at her figure. Lithe, and strong, and those legs!" an older, redheaded man interjected. Lise would be blushing any second now. "Your Amazoness - " he drunkenly grasped for the correct title - "your presence here speaks volumes about the relations between Navarre and Rolante. How are we perceived there?"

Lise replied carefully. "I think my sisters have come to understand that it was Bigieu's evil influence that caused the troubles between us, and I am sure our Queen will agree." More Navarrians - almost all men - crowded around Lise with more questions about "politics".

Lise was starting to look like a needlebird facing the wrong end of a sword, and Hawk was afraid he would have to rescue her - a potentially awkward situation with Jessica there. Fortunately, Angela saved him.

"Hey guys," she yelled, gesturing with her winecup, "don't you know an Amazon will put a spear right through you if you come on too strong? Through your stomach, if you're nice - otherwise she'll go lower."

The Navarre men laughed uproariously, but they did leave Lise alone after that.

Many hours and cups of wine later, Hawk yawned in exhaustion. He must have changed quite a bit, if he could only make it halfway through the night. "Coming, Jess?" he asked as he rose. She nodded. He refused to look at Lise as the two of them left the great hall of the sand fortress.

--

They walked side by side through the stone halls, lovers but strangers.

...Lise pulling his face to hers to kiss him, as he slowly...

He had to keep his mind on track.

In his room, he and Jess talked for a while, but conversation danced around anything of importance. There was a wall there that he had not felt with her before. He had thought for sure she would have been twice as passionate, after the trauma of her kidnap and rescue; but this was not the case. Nor did he want to fall all over her as he felt he should.

Leaning forward, he kissed her, but it seemed forced, on both sides, having the sense of duty. The couple looked at each other, questioning in their eyes where there once was ardor. Hawk settled for taking her tiny hands in his.

Jessica leaned against him, burying her face in his chest and putting her arms around him.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what -" Hawk said, just as Jessica said, "Something's different -"

There it was, like it or not.

She looked up at him for a minute. Finally she said, "I think I should stay in my own room tonight." Hawk only nodded. She squeezed his hand once, before turning away from him, and his eyes followed her until the door clicked shut behind her.

After she left, he stared at the wall, before falling into a troubled sleep.

--

The knock on the door woke him. He answered without a shirt on, expecting Jessica.

To his surprise, it was Angela.

"No wonder you have more girls than you can handle," she said, cocking her head to the side to look him up and down appreciatively.

"Yeah, no kidding. What brings you by, Angela?"

"I brought breakfast for you," she said, stepping into the room with a basket under her arm. "So, how did things go in the love nest last night?" She surveyed the room. "Speaking of love, where is she?"

He didn't answer the question. "Um, thanks for breakfast."

Angela sat down at the table, arranging the morning meal. When she had decided to make herself at home, nothing short of a direct request would get her to leave. She was stubborn that way. Lise was stubborn too, he knew, but never to the point of risking rudeness.

And he found his mind drifting to Lise again.

Picking up one of the ripe Navarre strawberries, Angela bit into it contemplatively. She curled one leg under the other, leaning back into her chair. "So, you want to tell me about it?"

Hawk was blissfully comfortable with Angela. Once she had resolved her relationship with Duran, and he had stopped wondering what to do if she showed up in his bed again one night, he found her friendship quite enjoyable; her frankness was refreshing, her logic flawless. He sat down across from her and grabbed a handful of berries himself.

Three-quarters of the food was gone, before Hawk confessed the night before had been awkward. Slowly he let the tale unfold, Angela giving him her full attention.

Finally, he couldn't help but ask. "Is Lise angry?"

Angela gave him a withering look.

"No, of course not, it's Lise," he answered for himself. "She's hurt... and she's pretending like she's not."

--

Lise was sad, and it made Kevin feel sad as well.

He saw how she stayed far away from Hawk, now that the short blue-haired girl was with him all the time. Humans made their mating so complex, he thought. Why all the hurt feelings? Why would no one say what they meant, instead taking it into themselves? She tried to tell him nothing was wrong, even though it was clear to him she did not tell the truth.

She seemed to feel happier when he stayed around her, though. Angela came to see Lise often as well. That, he could understand. It was bad to be without a pack.

Nevertheless, it was three days that Lise moped, alone, at night.

--

Hawk and Jessica dined alone that evening in his quarters, neither of them wanting to bring up what was hanging over their heads.

It wasn't until the dishes had been cleared and they stood together by the window, that Jessica was the first to speak.

"You know, Hawk," she began. "I think something changed when we lost Eagle. He was so happy to see you and I together, to see his little sister with someone he loved like a brother… But with him gone, I don't know if we're held together by the same bonds anymore."

It surprised him to hear this from her, after the way she had greeted him the first day she returned. But he had seen a number of the Navarre men looking at her; perhaps he did know what this was about, after all.

Hawk looked at her, and took a deep breath as he composed his words. "I would never want to keep you from finding the happiness you deserve."

"Nor I you," she replied, reaching up to brush a lock of hair back from his eyes.

Long silence followed. Who would say first what they really wanted?

He held her by the waist, as they gazed into the desert together, as they had so many times before. But they were different people then. Now… Jessica seemed stiff, unyielding to his arm, even though they had known each other all their lives.

He remembered, though, everything about her, everything about _them_, and an odd sort of regret sunk in. Part of him desperately wished for that time, those feelings back, when Eagle was alive, when he was only a thief, not a Ninja... he knew it was a pointless dream, but with her here close, he wanted to believe that somehow everything could be put back the way it was before.

He reveled in the feeling of her close against him, but… when he pulled her tighter, she wheeled and pushed him away. Hard.

"Don't!" she cried, anger blazing, in complete contrast to the mood of a moment before.

"Jess..." He didn't know where to begin, or to end. "What's gotten into you?"

That only made her angrier. "I know who it is, it's the blonde girl, the Rolantish?" Hawk gulped slightly, wondering how she knew, but guilt crossed his face involuntarily, and she didn't miss the emotion. Her eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms, taking another step backwards, further away from him. "I saw the way you looked at her, I could tell." Anger dropped a little, and sadness crept in. "How could you think I wouldn't know, Hawk? After as long as I have known you, how would I fail to notice? Are you going to tell me it's not true, tell me nothing happened, that she means nothing to you? Or are you going to admit that you've fallen in love with someone else?"

There it was, out in the open, everything he had been trying to hide. Hawk could not lie to her, so he merely averted his eyes.

--

Angela ran into Jessica in the hallway, leaving Hawk's quarters breathlessly. "What's wrong?" she inquired, putting herself in Jessica's path so the girl could not run right past her.

She had got along well with Hawk's saucy girl, even knowing how Lise felt - but had the distinct feeling Jessica did not want to speak with her much at the moment... "I - well, we - decided a lot of things had changed." Leaving it at that, the shorter girl slid around Angela and darted down the hallway.

Most interesting, thought Angela, quickly reading between the lines. She knew exactly what to do next.

She hurried a little faster down the hall, to the bedrooms occupied by her and her friends.

--

"Are you sure, Angela?" Lise asked. "I mean, maybe you misunderstood." She was wearing a green silk Navarre long tunic, tied at the waist, and covered by one of their lightweight robes. It was quite flattering on her frame, Angela noted.

"Absolutely. Now's your chance, you need to go to him."

"But it doesn't seem right," Lise waffled. "He's probably hurt, he needs time to think, I shouldn't intrude on him - "

Angela sighed. She reminded herself carefully that it was all new to Lise, she had very little idea about what to do with men, and definitely no clue about when to pursue them. "Trust me on this one, Lise. He loves you, you love him - and you need to go to him. Now."

"Be brave," she added.

That one did the trick. Lise would not admit to being afraid of anything. She squared her shoulders and marched herself out the door.

Well, good, thought Angela. Now's the time for her to fight for the man she loves.

--

Lise knocked hesitantly on the door to Hawk's room, but got no response from inside. She stood there, wondering what to do next... She considered turning away, but something in her made her take a deep breath, knock once more, and step inside.

Hawk stood at the window to his bedroom, looking out at the hot sands of Navarre beyond. He must have heard her, but he did not turn around to see who had arrived. Lise felt suddenly very nervous, but she was frozen to the spot. She could will herself to neither move forward, nor turn around and go. Finally, she took a deep breath and took several inquisitive steps towards him.

He turned around and blinked, as if seeing a ghost. Across his face was a look of sadness, and regret. She wanted to throw her arms around him, but couldn't allow herself that freedom.

So there the two of them stood, their eyes locked on each other, neither moving towards the other. "I... I could come back later," Lise finally stuttered. She turned to go, but with a few long strides Hawk reached her and grabbed her shoulder, turning her towards him and pulling her close. He put his arms around her and buried his head in her hair, breathing her in yet still not saying a word.

Lise let his arms gently enfold her as she leaned against his chest, relishing the feeling of him so close to her. She did not know how long they stood there like that, but she wished he would never let go. So they stood there, she closing her eyes as she leaned against his chest, he nuzzling her, stroking her hair at the nape of her neck.

Finally he spoke.

"She left me," Hawk said.

"She told me we didn't love each other anymore, and she was right." Lise could tell that the words had stung him, however much he agreed with them. "I knew this was coming, even before all this happened."

"I think we both realized we could no longer stop each other from finding happiness with someone else."

And with those words, he lifted his head, and cupping hers, turned her face towards his. He looked deep into her eyes, holding her gaze.

"I'm sorry," was the best Lise could think of, even though there was so much more to say.

The sadness in his eyes changed to lust as his gaze penetrated hers.

"I'm going to take what you promised me," he said, heat in his voice. "But before, I want something else from you.

"I've told you over and over, how I feel, since the day we met. Now, I want... no, I _need_... to hear how _you _feel, before we go any further."

The shy, naive Lise who had first met Hawk froze up, didn't want to say a word. But the older, more experienced Lise, the one who had told him she desired him, the one who had let him go while loving him with all her heart, knew he needed the truth from her now.

"I love you so much it scares me," she forced out. "I want to be close to you all the time... I never knew a man could make me feel like this, and I hoped that someday I would be here with you like this - "

Abruptly she was cut off as Hawk grabbed her and kissed her passionately, and her body responded before she could even think. It had been so long that she had been wishing they could share this experience again.

Taking her by the hand, he led her gently but determinedly over to his bed. There was no need to drag her, though, she was certainly willing.

They sat down together, kissing more slowly this time, switching to drawing out the anticipation of what was to come. Hawk wrapped an arm around her back to support her as he slowly lowered her down. He untied the belt of her silk robe and let it fall to the floor.

--

Angela looked down over the courtyard of the Sand Palace, from the room she shared with Duran. She hated the heat of the day, but there was something refreshing about the evening's coolness. A faint breeze swirled the wispy dress that the women of Navarre had kindly provided for her. Their fashions did have a seductive style she liked.

Behind her, she heard Duran snore lightly. She smiled a mischievous smile. It wasn't often she was able to wear him out.

Turning away from the window, she wondered exactly what Lise was doing right now.

--

He was not gentle with her this time. If she hadn't been talking with Angela, she might have been frightened.

But Angela had told her how it was with Duran like this, sometimes; Hawk tearing at her clothes, pulling her to him, not taking no for an answer. Of course, she wouldn't know for sure, since she never wanted to stop him.

Not just once, but twice, three times, and each time she found herself responding to him. If not right away, he switched the touch, the pace, and soon enough, she was tangling her hands in his hair and pulling him to her just as eagerly.

Exhausted finally, he lay beside her, the fingers of his left hand entwined in her hair, his right hand under her waist.

He looked at her silently, and she gazed back uncertainly. He was the one with all the experience here, and she waited to find out what came next.

Finally he spoke. "I did it wrong from the start. I thought I could get by without hurting anyone, but if only I had known it didn't matter, I would have done so much more.

"I should have told you I loved you the first day I met you. I should have kissed you again, and again, until I made you want me. I should have spent the night with you every night since we first made love, even if it meant only lying next to you. I should've given you everything I could give, and then some..."

Lise had no idea he felt this way. "I think you did everything exactly right," she whispered.

He smiled, breaking the worry in his expression. "Well, I'm glad you think so, but... Lise... I want us to have a chance to really care for each other," he finished nervously.

She hadn't expected this, when she first fled her conquered kingdom. She had been single-mindedly devoted to saving her people, her brother, and out of nowhere came this man, seeking a common vengeance. And somewhere along the way, he had gotten under her skin, through her mind, in her heart, and she had fought it for as long as she could. Seeing the way he looked at her now, she gave in to what she felt, gave in to _him_.

"Yes, my love," she whispered back, "now, and always..."


	29. Decisions

**29. DECISIONS (ANGELA)**

The Fairy had been pressuring them to move on to the God-Beasts ever since she had been rescued, but Hawk was adamant about staying to organize his people. As the days went on, her buzz got louder and louder.

"They're growing in strength!" she told the group one hot(ter) afternoon. The heat was making them all lazy, and Lise, laying across silken cushions with her head in Hawk's lap, looked as if she would happily never move again. In public, they were reserved - Angela agreed, they shouldn't rub Jessica's nose in it - but it was not a secret to anyone here.

"_How_ much stronger, Fairy?" Duran asked, his sweating brow furrowing in concern.

"In a century or two, they'll take over the world!"

The group gave looks at each other, but no one spoke, leaving Angela to respond to the Fairy. Why was it always her job? Oh yeah, she was the Fairy host. Still, someone could do the talking when the Fairy was out of her head.

"So, how much will it change in a week?"

"Well... not so much..." the Fairy admitted.

"How much time do we have, realistically?" asked Angela.

"Well, the God Beast of Darkness has not been released, since no one has unsealed that stone... The God-Beasts cannot merge without it, so I think we are safe from that for the moment. But as one dies, the remaining will grab at whatever Mana they can get from it, and be a little stronger every time." 

"So at this point, it's not so much time, but how many we have defeated," Angela reasoned.

"Correct," confirmed the Fairy.

"In that case," Angela decided, " we have enough time to plan. We can rest, equip... and if we can get more information on the God-Beasts, decide which one to go after first."

"Shouldn't we be trying to get the Sword back?" interjected Hawk.

"That's still a priority," the Fairy admitted, "but the problem is that Koren may be able to not just release, but control the God-Beasts. The Goddess herself is unsure what could be done with the Sword in the hands of a human. We might find Koren, only to face all eight God-Beasts together."

"Not my idea of a good time," Hawk answered.

"It feels like we are being distracted from our real mission." Duran was frustrated.

"I'm sure that was the reason Koren did it," answered Angela. "I can't think of another reason why he might unleash them, and if he can control them through the Sword, then he could always confine them again, after they killed us."

"They won't," Kevin said. When he got that stony look on his face, the Beastman was in fact a bit frightening.

Lise sat up, paying attention now. "I've been reading this book about the Stones, from the library in Forcena - " she was always reading books, when not with Hawk - "and apart from recording the names of the God-Beasts, nothing seems to indicate that one is more dangerous than the other, they start equal in power."

"But it does mention that Dangaard, in Rolante, can fly, so I think that would be the one to challenge first." _And the one in her homeland_, Angela thought.

"Well, there's a short and direct route from the Mana Stone of Earth to Forcena, so that Beast could reach the city first," Duran objected.

"Not any shorter than to Altena! My mother used to visit the Stone every week!"

With Angela's outburst, the discussion rapidly descended to loud arguments over whose homeland should be protected first. They were never this divisive, she thought, even as she could hear her own voice yelling at her friends. Carlie resorted to bursting into tears. "My Grampa is too sick to protect Wendel!"

Hawk tired of the quarrel first. "For Goddess's sake, let's pull names out of a hat!"

Everyone stopped to look at him, including the Fairy. This was not generally the way to decide a master plan.

"I'll get some paper," offered Lise.

"Not paper," Angela countered. "Who has money on them?"

Duran was the first to comply, spilling out the contents of his wallet onto the table next to Angela's coins. As she began to sort through them, the others began to understand what she was doing.

The Luc coins were all the same size and weight. Not even Navarre dared debase the currency; they had plenty of other ways to make money.

But each country (or organization - Navarre being not truly a country) rich enough to have the honor of minting currency stamped its own pattern on the backside, opposite the same Goddess image depicted on the ubiquitous statues. She finally was able to find a rare coin from Diorre to complete the set.

Hawk leaned in holding his empty wine goblet for her to put the coins in. "I'm the luckiest."

"And the cleverest," Angela retorted. She did not doubt that in Hawk's hands, the first coin would be of Navarre, or possibly Rolante. "Perhaps someone a little more pure of heart." Her tone was teasing, not insulting; nevertheless, she took the cup and slid it across to Kevin.

Kevin had been relatively silent, barely arguing for a trip to the Moonlight Tower first, and now he shook the goblet calmly.

All leaned forward to see where they would be going first.

The coin Kevin pulled out bore a sword across a book.

"Forcena!" Duran cheered.

The next one shone so brightly it had obviously been minted only in the last generation. They did not need to see the triple moon to know it was of the Beast Kingdom. In contrast, the next was so tarnished they could barely make out the tower with the ray of light that marked Wendelian minting.

Lise breathed a sigh of relief when the mountain of Rolante showed.

Angela started to get very nervous when she saw the double die of Navarre.

Two to go. The tree of Diorre spilled out first.

Kevin handed the cup back to Angela. There it was, the snowflake of Altena, in the bottom. It appears her homeland would have to hold out a little longer.

Kevin looked at her, sympathy on his face. "Only decision now, Angela, when to go."

"Right now, right now!" Carlie bounced in her chair.

"What day is it?" murmured Lise dreamily, having returned back to her lounging position after her kingdom placed fourth.

"Salamando's day," Hawk answered.

"Of course it is," sweated Duran.

"Well, we would want to fight an Earth beast on the Wind Day, right Angela? They're opposites, let's take every advantage we can get," Lise suggested.

"That's three days from today, Fairy. Soon enough for you?" Angela challenged.

The Fairy seemed resigned. "I suppose it will have to be."

--

Even after the group had dispersed, Duran and Angela stayed up late talking, with occasional interjections from the Fairy.

The God-Beasts... They could use the Sword to defeat them, but if Koren could control them, they would have to be defeated first just to get to Koren. Duran couldn't help feeling that the God-Beasts was a distraction from the real problem, and Koren had probably planned it that way. Even if the God-Beasts were destroyed, Mana had already been unstable, and it would probably take the strength of the Sword to right it; it seemed the Goddess herself was now too weak to do so. And Koren himself had to be defeated sooner or later. Duran had a nagging feeling the wizard was somehow affiliated with the Dragon Emperor, since the Darkshine Knight seemed to be, but he felt his anger rise as they discussed the possibility, and Angela shifted the conversation away quickly.

And then there was the missing Stone of Darkness. Where was it? And could they find it in time?

--

The three days gave Hawk enough time to wrap up his loose ends. Jessica had recovered fully in her time at Deen, and while her father rested, she rapidly took over his responsibilities.

But finally, they found themselves in the pre-dawn light in front of the gates to the Sand Fortress, everyone's donated desert clothing residing in Hawk's room for the moment as they all returned to their travel attire. Lise, back in her leather armor after a couple weeks of the sensual silk dresses the Navarrese women wore, stood far away, her spear at attention. He loved her as much in her armor as in the wisps of fabric that clung to and swished around her body.

He couldn't dwell on that right now. In front of a gathering of thieves and citizens, Jessica gave him a hug and a chaste peck on the cheek. Judging by the looks some of the men in the background were giving her, he suspected she would not be lacking for companionship without him. _If she hasn't found it already,_ nagged a jealous voice.

"Be well," she whispered. He could only nod, then turned away and joined his friends as Kevin swung Flammie's drum in the air.


	30. Gemstone Valley

**30. GEMSTONE VALLEY (LISE)**

Duran directed Flammie to the landing spot closest to their destination. The Molebear Highlands sparked nostalgia in him as their dragon flew away. He remembered passing through here with Angela months ago, when it was still just the two of them, neither knowing yet exactly how the other felt.

He looked at the beautiful amethyst-haired woman gazing off into the distance. She was still mysterious to him in many ways, but he missed those early feelings of excitement and anticipation.

"Gah, stop looking at Angela, we go now." Duran was jerked out of his reverie. If even _Kevin _noticed him staring... What next, sex tips from Carlie?

The Priestess in question was staring at a tree standing ghostly in the end-of-night-light. "Looks like the tree is staring at us."

It did seem that way, though the image disappeared if he looked straight at it. Duran shook his head to clear it. He hoped it was just an illusion. It gave him a feeling of foreboding nonetheless as he led his friends away from the path to Forcena, towards the Gemstone Valley.

As the stone cliffs above the grasslands gave way to red rock, they began their steep descent. The morning sun was just beginning to climb, and it caught the gems that adorned the rock walls.

Hawk stopped, his left hand fingering the gemstones almost reverently, caressing them with a tender touch, a gesture that surprised the Knight coming from the mysterious thief. Hawk's lover came up behind him, her left hand touching his arm, and Duran let them have their moment.

Besides, he was in need of a private moment himself. He recognized the plateau they were on as the one that had held the Mana Stone. More importantly, it was the spot where he had seen through his father's eyes during his own class change. The memory pressed on him.

He saw Angela at the edge of the cliff, hands on her hips, captivated by the scenery before her. It was because he loved her that he did not call to her. He did not want his pain ruining her happiness.

A small hand tugged at his. "Duran looks sad," said Carlie solemnly, as Duran looked down to take the little girl's hand in his own.

"I was remembering my mom and dad," he said, simplifying his complex feelings for her young mind.

"Carlie misses her mommy and daddy too... but the Goddess says they watch us from the Holyland always."

Duran remembered the Darkshine Knight in Altena. He hoped the girl was right.

--

As they descended deeper into the valley, Kevin stared up at the cliffs that towered increasingly high above them. Even as it seemed they could not go much lower, they would cross one of the natural rock bridges and look down into caverns so deep that the bottom could not be seen. It made him very nervous.

He was used to being able to roam freely, always seeing an escape. Even though the Moonlight Forest might seem tightly enclosed to foreigners, to those that knew it, a thousand routes led through the trees.

He was fascinated, and frightened, by the light refracting off the gemstones. Living all his life in the Moonlight Forest, he had only seen the sun for the first time on his swim to Jad, so many months ago. Even though he had heard the stories, seeing the sun rise for the first time a few hours after leaving Mintos, he thought the world was ending. Or beginning. He had never seen color that way before.

Now, after a month or so of travel with Lise and her companions, he began to understand the difference between night and day, and how things looked different in each. Stranger still, humans seemed to behave differently in day and night. He still didn't quite understand why Angela seemed to almost ignore Duran in the daytime, though they were obviously mated, yet couldn't stop touching him once night fell again. Or, why he did not simply scoop her up. A Beastman would never try to capture an unwilling female - she would bite viciously if that was tried - but once a female had indicated she was willing, the male pursued her, until she allowed herself to be caught. It was the way of nature.

Looking over the edge again, he realize he had been contemplating his companions to keep his mind off the trapped feeling. He hoped they fought this God-Beast soon; as much as he disliked fighting, it was still better than fear.

--

Deep in the valley, the gemstones covered not only the walls but the ground as well. Angela had first been fascinated by the riches, but with this many, they started to lose their novelty.

Plus, it really wasn't worth fighting this many spiky and slimy creatures to get down here. She knew some of the last mucus blob to hit her was still in her hair.

The monsters made for some slow going, and it must've been hours later when they finally traveled through a regular, gemstone-free cavern. Besides being out of the sun, whose heat was only magnified by the stones' reflection, it gave everyone's eyes a rest. Kevin in particular seemed to prefer the darkness of the cave, stretching out tense limbs.

Her relief was short-lived, however, when they reentered the valley proper and she saw the Goddess statue, right next to a gaping cave mouth. Something about that cave set her hair on end. Instinctively, she glanced at Duran, to see him with sword held in readiness. So she wasn't the only one who felt it. Nevertheless, he strode firmly forward, leaving the others to follow behind him.

Though not particularly tired, she touched the Goddess statue instinctively, as did her friends. The brief flash of feeling the Goddess's blessing gave her the motivation to move on.

She followed Duran through the opening.

--

"A dead end?" worried Lise. "We came all this way for nothing?"

It certainly seemed that way. It had been a straight path down, but there was no discernible way to proceed from the cliff they stood on.

Angela opened her mouth to say something sarcastic, but she thought the Goddess herself was trying to shut her up when the ground began to shake. She fell to her knees.

Looking up, she noticed something strange. Usually, in an earthquake, stones were shaken _loose_, but these seemed to be joining...

Realization hit her.

"It's the God Beast! We've found it !" she shouted over the roar of crashing rocks.

Apparently most of her party had reached the same conclusion. Lise had begun what Duran had dubbed their "pregame maneuvers", boosting up the abilities of the party. Since it took quite some time to cast four spells on each of six people - especially when Lise, a new magician, felt obligated to touch her subjects - the Amazon had taken to casting the most needed spells on each.

Struggling to her feet, Angela sensed the ethereal presences of Salamando and Jinn, as Lise heightened the power of Duran and Kevin, and the speed of Hawk. Good. She calmly readied herself, knowing Lise would first lay Gnome's protection on herself and Carlie, before even thinking of her own person.

But Lise wasn't able to make it to her, before the monstrosity appeared in front of them.

They had faced some ugly things along this journey, but this thing - Land Umber, Lise had told them - was different. It was uglier. And much, much bigger. It might have passed for one of the gemstone formations, if it held still, but a tiny, beady-eyed face glared at them from the center. Below the face glared what at first seemed to be a ruby hanging in a rock cage, but upon closer inspection was a living, beating heart.

And even keeping the farthest distance she could manage from the thing, she could feel the Mana rolling off it. It could use magic, as strongly as she herself, if not more so.

So this was a God-Beast.

Kevin, with his bestial instincts, was already attacking the exposed heart when Land Umber dipped low enough for his fists to reach. Duran's sword slashes were only slightly more effective, as the God-Beast hovered just out of reach. Hawk cast his odd ninja magic against it, but the earth-based slowing spell rolled right off the God-Beast of Earth. The ugly stony little face looked like it was laughing at them.

Well, maybe they couldn't use magic to slow the thing down, but they had come here on Jinn's day for a reason. Angela began casting powerful blasts of air, one after another. Tears of frustration welled slightly in her eyes as she saw the being barely flinch. Preparing for another cast, she barely saw the dark cloud forming over her until it was too late.

As it surrounded her, it was not air she felt. It was stone, crushing her.

She was on the ground, her chest feeling like a mass of bruises. "Angela!" she heard Duran's voice call, but she could not summon the breath to answer.

It was Lise's face, however, full of concern, which appeared in her field of vision.

"It's okay, Angela," Lise said soothingly. "Undine said you would benefit from this the most. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner." She touched the sides of Angela's head, and a cooling feeling settled over her temples. Still hurting, Angela nevertheless felt her mind racing. She was on her feet even before healing magic washed away the pain. She guessed the healing was from Duran this time; Carlie was otherwise absorbed, flailing her morningstar at the monster with wild strike, squealing something piercing and unintelligible. Surprisingly, the spiked ball at the end actually was making dents in the rocky armor.

Angela cast with renewed fervor, and this time, the blasts whacked the God-Beast with satisfying thumps, knocking the beast off balance in midair. When the next stone cloud appeared, the hyperactive Mana flowing through the Oracle resisted, and it felt like nothing more than a smattering of pebbles. Though Kevin and Duran - and now Lise, jumping into the battle - were able to swipe the vulnerable heart more frequently, she sensed it was not enough.

"I don't have any stronger wind magic!" she yelled to the fighters.

"Wind magic? Who wants wind magic?" Carlie put down her morningstar, finally distracted.

"I'll take some!" called Hawk. His throwing daggers were hitting with more accuracy than the rest, but still often glanced off the rocky armor as the beast turned.

"Okey dokey!" Carlie ran to Hawk. "Lemme see your daggers!" Hawk, stepping back from the fray, lowered the knives to the girl's level. Angela sensed a spell similar to her own air magic, but with a twist of Gnome and very, very focused. Hawk's daggers began to glow and crackle.

No way! Wind magic... in their weapons? She suddenly felt very upstaged.

But she shook it off as Hawk called to her. "Angela! Keep hitting it with magic, and I'll attack while it's weakened!" In response, she sent another blast of air against the thing, and Hawk dove towards the bloody heart as it recovered its balance. Their tag-team attack proved surprisingly effective, and one by one the other fighters could step away for Carlie to imbue their weapon the same way.

With several people suddenly all attacking simultaneously with Wind, Land Umber rapidly began to slow. Perhaps as a last-ditch effort, Angela felt its magic spike.

The cliff began to shake, ten times, a hundred times worse than when they first entered. Fortunately, only the agile Hawk was near the steep edge at the time, and the Ninja fell into a neat roll that carried him away from a drop to his death.

Angela fell to hands and knees, but lifted her head to watch the spell unfold in fascination. She could almost cast the same spell, she could feel it at the edges of her mind. If her mental powers just reached a little more...

"Angela!" Lise shouted to her, as the shaking continued. "We can't fight! Can you stop it?"

"Certainly!" she yelled back. Even from her crouched position, Angela was perfectly capable of launching a spell as strong as before. Forcing herself to focus, she launched the mana directly upwards.

It hit squarely. The beast was knocked out of the sky to slam against the cliff, and the weakened armor abruptly splintered. The quakes died.

Duran was up and running in an instant to plunge his sword through the now-defenseless heart, and the first God-Beast plummeted to the bottom of the Gemstone Valley.

--

They returned to Forcena, where a troubled King Richard heard of the release of the God-Beasts, promising them all the help at his disposal. Duran, in particular, he pulled aside for a long talk the first night.

The Fairy was very agitated at the impending six-day wait, in order to confront the next God-Beast on Dryad's day. But for once, the party was in absolute agreement against the Fairy. Their order had been decided fairly; it would have been a serious detriment to morale to overrule it.

They put their time to good use, anyway, the fighters training for hours each day. Angela could not practice magic without blowing up half the castle, but she spent hours in some sort of Altenan mental exercises that she claimed were very effective. On the third day, she allowed the inquisitive (and jumpy) Carlie to join her. Lise suspected that the fact that the exercises involved absolute silence was the only reason Angela could tolerate the kid's presence for that long. Well, at least Angela would get slowly accustomed to Carlie's presence; and even Lise admitted Carlie could benefit from a little mental focus, instead of bouncing off walls all the time.

Safely ensconced within Forcena's walls, Lise noted that being a queen and peer of Richard - despite being a third his age - had its privileges. When Hawk announced he would stay "in Queen Rieszella's sitting room, to ensure her protection," Richard only glanced for Lise's nod before escorting them both to a grand suite. Angela and Duran had been given separate rooms, though Lise suspected no more than one was in use each night.

Kevin seemed quite surprised when he was shown to a room as fine as Angela's. The Beast Kingdom was new to royalty; perhaps Kevin was unfamiliar with the protocol. He was a prince, whatever that meant in the new kingdom.

Lise found herself quite busy, the days flying away. She practiced, of course, for hours against the men; Duran and Kevin challenged her, while Hawk turned it all into fun with a laugh or innuendo. She didn't mind.

She tried the concentration exercises briefly with Angela and Carlie, but her particular brand of magic didn't really lend itself to much improvement. A few minutes was about all she could take of that.

Most of the remaining hours found her in the Forcena library. They had the best texts in the world, some not found even in Altena; she underwent much teasing, especially from Duran, until she sweetly pointed out that it was the King's library, and wouldn't he be pleased if Duran read some books as well? After that, she was left alone.

Until the afternoon of the fourth day, when she was surprised to see Kevin, of all persons, coming in to join her.

"Kevin," she greeted him warmly. Though all had accepted him, he still seemed most comfortable with her. She tried her best to make him feel welcome. "What brings you here?"

"Th... thought I might read with you."

That one surprised her. Considering his speech patterns, she hadn't anticipated literacy. She replied carefully. "I didn't know you loved books in the Mana Tongue so much."

Despite her subterfuge, he saw what she was getting it. "Have trouble speaking... only learned by those who go on patrols, travel to other countries, never learn. But I can read it just fine, maybe even easier."

There it was - that occasional "I" that had crept into conversation since he had joined them. Did the beastmen avoid the idea of individual identity, or did their language simply lack pronouns? She had only heard it spoken by enemies in Jad, and at that time she had plenty of reasons to avoid anyone speaking that tongue. Carefully, she asked, "Could you tell me something in your native language, Kevin?"

He nodded, and began to speak. At first she thought it was nothing more than a series of growling noises, but as her ear listened closer, she detected a rhythm. Not the smooth flow of Mana Tongue, but a more ancient, tribal feeling to it. Not unstructured at all - it made her think of a rhythmic beating of drums, echoing through the Moonlight Forest.

By the time he was done, she was captivated. "What were you telling me, Kevin?"

"The story of my parents." Hurt briefly flashed across his eyes.

That jogged something in Lise's memory that she had meant to ask him. Now seemed an appropriate time. "Kevin... I heard once, before I was born, about an Amazon, a Rune Maiden, who left to mate with one of your kingdom..."

"My mother," Kevin responded simply.

She had not expected to hit so close. "I'm sorry..."

"It okay... she run away from my father, Beast King..."

Lise frowned. "Run away? Are you sure?" She felt embarrassed as she realized she was challenging his parentage. "I mean... it's just that... the story in Rolante... says she passed away, the birth was too intense, turns out humans and beastmen have separated too much..." She was babbling.

Kevin looked sad. "I don't know what to believe anymore." The statement stunned Lise even more than the perfect grammar.


	31. Moonreading Tower

**31. MOONREADING TOWER (KEVIN)**

They left Forcena at midnight five days later, planning to confront their foe at midday of Dryad's day… Assuming, that was, that the forest was still under cover of night. Brief communication with Luna had indicated it was so, though she did not know how much longer she could make it last.

The thick forest prevented Flammie from landing anywhere but Mintos, so they followed through the woods, the same route they had taken on their original trip to find Luna. The trip was the same, but different, the formerly threatening werewolves of the forest barely scratching them this time.

Advancing through the clearing where they had defeated Lugar, Angela shuddered, thinking of her countrywomen who had died there. Her feeling of dread was compounded by sadness and fear as they entered the first floor of the Moonreading Tower, now devoid of its Mana Stone. So much effort expended on their part, and she still felt like they were fighting against the tide.

Hawk headed straight for one of the four doors, which had previously been locked. He had insisted he could break in, but there had been no reason to do so at the time, as they hurried to Diorre with more important things on their minds. He had a thin metal implement in his hand, preparing to pick the lock, but fiddling with the knob, he called back in surprise. "Uh, it's open."

As he cracked the door, she heard an undead scream, and he rapidly slammed the door shut again. "And there's vampires inside."

"Gah, there will be more," said Kevin. "Deathjester would send many Beast Warriors to defend also."

Not a comforting thought. Kevin's example only reinforced her knowledge that Beastmen were hard to beat.

Hawk opened a couple more doors of shrieking monstrosities before they found a monster-free staircase. That was kind of the way the Tower worked, Angela understood quickly enough. On one level, they would be confronted with several doors, only one of which led them up. On the next level, bridges were staffed by canine creatures, some of which could heal as well as little Carlie, who was rapidly applying the lessons Angela had given her as she healed almost continuously.

It made for slow going, and Angela half-seriously wondered if the Tower was changing the route up just to mess with them. They found ten levels wearing them out as easily as miles of the Gemstone Valley had.

Fortunately, at the top, they were greeted by a Goddess statue; even better, one blessed. Apparently at some point the Beast Kingdom had gotten along with Wendel, before invading Jad and burning Astoria to ashes, to have the item; unless they simply pillaged it from somewhere. Angela wasn't about to trouble herself with the politics, she was just intensely grateful for the cooling relief the statue gave.

She paused for a moment, ignoring the fact that the grand staircase just ahead , and the odd feeling of Mana from beyond, indicated the probable location of the God-Beast. She suspected the long trek to get to it was probably deliberately intended to wear them down.

Kevin was already resolutely striding up the stairs, leaving the others no choice but to follow. Lise's research in Forcena was not encouraging; no one had the Tree magic Dolan was weak to, meaning brute force was all they could rely on. Anticipating a brutal fight, she shuddered to think how they would cope if they faced this one last, with the power of the others inside it...

They threw open the doors, which led outside to the roof of the Tower. Angela walked to the railing, allowing herself a small moment to admire the panoramic forest view and the three moons shining down. Despite the persistent feeling of unease, there seemed to be no God-Beast in sight.

Kevin was the first to warn them. "Hey, guys, smell something..."

That was right before the Tower started shaking, rocking them back and forth as Angela grabbed the railing to steady herself. Earthquakes were not so bad on the ground, but ten stories up, the Tower swayed threateningly, and she wondered with a sickening feeling how much the structure could take before it collapsed completely. That train of thought was interrupted as an enormous, clawed paw appeared to her left, and she jumped away with a small scream.

Lise peered down the side where the claw had appeared, and recoiled away in horror. "It's the God-Beast!" she shrieked with a note of panic. "And it's climbing the Tower!"

In a matter of seconds, all saw what she saw...

--

Taking advantage of the forest's night, Kevin transformed immediately. Angela had never seen him morph before, and she was expecting some thunderclap or flash of light. This was different altogether. His face began to stretch out into a wolf's nose, and silver fur grew over him in a matter of seconds.

It was a little grotesque, but fascinating nonetheless. She didn't know where his clothes went to. Presumably, they would return before she saw more than she wanted to.

Kevin's wolf-form started pounding the goat-like creature, even as it howled to the moon. Duran and Lise were already approaching warily, but the close-up look at its mouth was enough for Angela to back up against the doorway, wishing simply running was an option.

But there was no turning back. Once you engaged a God-Beast, it was kill or be killed.

--

_This wasn't going to be easy_, Duran thought. Not that he really expected anything called a God-Beast would go down easily, but strategic options were rather limited. Their only real advantage was that, clinging to the side of the Tower as it was, Dolan could only use one arm at a time.

The left arm swung directly at him, and Duran swiped at the enormous appendage, his sword rending a bloody cut across. The God-Beast growled, and drew its arm across its face protectively. Duran clung to his sword in readiness, but he couldn't find an opening to get a clean swipe at any vulnerable spots.

Lise darted in to jab as spots appeared where the enormous claws did not block her, pulling back just as quickly before Dolan got a chance to retaliate. Kevin pummeled the other arm, which was tensing to hang on to the Tower wall now. The beast's grip was slipping, the hand involuntarily flinching from the attack, and as it pulled its arm back away from its face to steady itself against the still-shaking building, Duran prepared to strike again.

But Dolan recovered balance altogether too soon, and that one arm rose and swept across the rooftop in a powerful stroke that made the Tower rattle to its foundations. Angela was standing far enough back to miss the blow, but Carlie, Lise, and Kevin were all pummeled by the impact of that huge hand before they even had a chance to avoid it.

_When had Carlie decided it was a good idea to join the front of the battle?_ Duran wondered angrily. At least she and Lise seemed unhurt, merely unconscious, while Kevin seemed the worst off, one foot-long claw tearing through his clothes and into his stomach. A low growl escaped the Beastman, and he shifted slightly, eyes fluttering open before he slumped to the tower roof.

Duran made a quick visual assessment. The injury seemed to have missed vital organs, but Duran didn't think he could repair a gash like that with his own magic strength. That meant he would have to heal Carlie, getting her up to tend to the Bashkar. He began to form the spell that now felt as natural as a sword to him.

--

As Duran was sidelined with healing duty, only two were left in the battle for the time being. Angela looked at Hawk, who had jumped back with his superhuman speed as soon as he saw those huge claws coming.

"Wind?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at the thief.

"Good as any," he agreed.

His thunder jutsu hit Dolan just before Angela's air blast smacked it from the other side. The beast briefly lost the grip of its left hand on the tower, but only flailed slightly in the air before resuming its place.

It was enough time for Carlie, at least, to rejoin them.

"No hurt Carlie's friends!" the girl wailed, and suddenly Lumina's spells were everywhere at once. Lise and Kevin stood up groggily, clinging tenuously to their weapons while Duran held his firmly, ready to swipe. Angela grinned beside herself. _Keep them down, would it?_

There was a quiet pause as the warriors searched for their next opening. Standing at attention, none were not prepared for what happened next. The giant moon, closer than the other two, began to _shimmer_, into a slither of moonlight.

What kind of warped use of Luna's magic was _that_? Angela had no time to figure it out before her knees suddenly buckled under her. She felt weak, as if they had climbed a hundred stories, not ten.

Forcing her shaking legs to work, she joined Duran at the forefront of the battle. Forget magic, she just wanted to _hit _something now, for Goddess's sake! She managed to get in a few nasty swipes before the thing swiped again with one of those huge paws, barely missing her head as she ducked against the railing.

Angela heard Hawk's voice. "Duran! Loan me your sword!"

From her crouched-down position, she was able to see Hawk as he jumped onto the thing's arm right before Dolan pulled it back. The monster seemed surprised to see a human on its arm, but Hawk was half running, half climbing the fur up to Dolan's neck before the God-Beast could fling him off into the forest.

Angela stood just in time to see Hawk, clinging for dear life to one of the creature's horns, drive Duran's sword in between the beast's eyes.

As the blade drove home, Dolan lost its grip on the Tower. The bellow that erupted shook the forest, but Hawk had already leaped off and was hitting the rooftop with a thud and a roll. He was on his feet beside Angela as she braced herself against the railing, waiting for the impact as the thing's body hit the ground.

The impact never came. As the other party members joined her to peer over the edge, the being dissipated into a million tiny pieces before vaporizing in a puff of smoke.

"What was _that_?" wondered Hawk, looking down at the borrowed sword where Dolan's blood was disappearing the same way.

Danger over, the Fairy had appeared to observe Dolan's demise with the rest of them. "It's not a true monster - it's a manifestation of chaotic energy. But appearing in a corporeal form this way, it can be defeated, and the energy dissipated."

"But where does it _go_?" asked Angela. "I mean, the Goddess had to stuff it in a stone."

The Fairy concentrated for a moment. "The Goddess won't give me a clear answer - " Angela felt relieved she was not the only one who sometimes didn't know exactly what was going on - "but in any case, it does not change our plans. Unstopped, the God-Beasts will gain strength and attack the world!!"

The party paused a moment, catching breaths and letting heartbeats return to normal. Kevin gave one final glance over the tower's side to his homeland below, safe, at least for the moment. "Next," was the only word he spoke, and they regathered for the long trip back down the Tower.

--

Thankfully, the Tower's monsters had either left or were hiding after the God-Beast's defeat. It made for a relatively calm return journey, at least until they exited the tower to find a pack of Beastmen waiting for them.

In the very front, was one with a wild grey beard, and intelligence in his golden-brown eyes. Kevin, now back in his human form, knew him well.

"Uh-oh, how are we going to fight our way through this one?" he heard Hawk ask behind him.

"It's okay," Kevin told the Ninja, and stepped forward. "Father," he greeted the leader reverently.

"Kevin," the Beast King acknowledged him with a nod. "You know, of course, that the God-Beast is loose here? We've come to remove it from our forest."

"We got rid of him!" Carlie announced happily, having joined Kevin's right to look curiously at the new arrivals.

Surprise crossed the face of the Beast King. "Is this true, Kevin?"

"Yes, father," Kevin replied humbly, "by me and friends." He waited for his father to reply, as murmurs spread through the crowd.

"And you've received the Gift of Mana as well... A Bashkar. I had not expected that, from you." Despite his father's dislike of Kevin's pacifist views, the King nevertheless seemed perturbed by Kevin's choice. "I had thought you must have advanced in strength, after I sent Lugar to test you and he did not return. A Bashkar... such anger, but without discipline... a Monk might have suited you better..."

Of course. His father was a God Hand. No other Beastman had been able to achieve that; he must have wanted the same for his son. But Kevin stood firm, ready to defend his choice. "It was for Karl, was the only was I could avenge him."

"Ah, yes. The wolf leader. That was the work of Deathjester, trying to remove you from arguing against his bloodthirsty path."

Anger flared in Kevin. "Deathjester... how you let him into our kingdom?"

The King sighed. "He promised us the Sword of Mana, the sword that could destroy the Beast Kingdom in the wrong hands. But I became displeased with his methods. After he released the energy of the Stone of the Moon, I banished him from the kingdom, and he has not been heard from since."

Kevin had seen him, though. "I think he is dead, father." Koren was the most likely culprit; perhaps Deathjester had beat him to the Moon Stone, and Koren killed him in anger.

He noticed Lise out of the corner of his eye, and remembered something she had said to him. Lowering his voice, he whispered, too low for the Beastman troops to hear. "Father, must ask about Mother."

"Leave us!" The King turned to the rest, and at his roar, the clearing quickly emptied, leaving father and son with Kevin's new companions.

"You told me she ran away, but this woman says she died." The King followed Kevin's gesture to where Lise stood.

"And who might you be?" he said, raising one eyebrow.

"I am Rieszella, Queen of Rolante," Lise said simply.

To Kevin's surprise, his father bowed deeply to Lise. His father never bowed to anyone, least of all a human.

"I am honored, Amazon Queen. I suppose you would know the truth of it." He turned back to Kevin, now with a look of resignation on his face.

"Your friend tells the truth, Kevin. Your mother did die, not long after you were born. I didn't know... I had hoped... but I was wrong, and the birth was too much for her, even as strong of a woman as she was."

"Why you _lie_ to me?!" Kevin was barely conscious of his fists tensing, ready for action.

"It was part of my plan to build up your anger. Anger is a powerful tool ... with it, you can overcome almost any weakness. Our race was once weak. We had no home... we suffered at the hand of the cowardly humans. Under my leadership, our anger has become our strength. We are now an independent nation, not because we sought revenge, but because we refused to allow them to continue to perpetrate wrongs against us. You see, revenge against humanity was never my goal. I can forgive their actions... but the one thing I can never forgive is weakness. Now you, Kevin, are on your way to independence. Show me your strength."

"I... I'll do it!... Father... Must go with my friends and help them, many more enemies in the world."

The Beast King nodded. "Fight for what you believe in, Kevin."


	32. Ancient Ruins of Light

**32. ANCIENT RUINS OF LIGHT (CARLIE)**

Somehow, it seemed appropriate to confront the God-Beast of Light on the Mana Holy Day, the idea of the energy of the ancient holy city being corrupted feeling particularly blasphemous to the group. Lise pondered the story of the Ancient Kingdom of Light as they landed among the ruins, on the mountains above Wendel.

The sun was setting, and to the west the sun's diminishing rays caught the golden bricks of the buildings, as they must have a thousand years ago, when the kingdom's prince sold his kingdom and his soul to the underworld. It seemed it was the same Dark Prince who now Bigieu followed, the Dark Prince who had masterminded the attack on her kingdom. _History never ends, _she thought_, it reaches its long fingers down to us over and over. _What had happened here, so long ago, to lead to the events of the present?

She heard the _whoosh _of Duran's sword ahead of her, and some monster squealing.

Well, she couldn't change the past, but she could damn well affect what happened here today, she thought, bringing her spear down before her.

--

Carlie was angry, and she flailed her morningstar around. It seemed to make Duran feel better to beat up the bad monsters, maybe it would make her feel better too. As the jellyfish-like creature popped abruptly with a hit from the spiky ball, she smiled. She did feel better, actually.

She was ready to whack whatever she needed to - anyone who threatened _her _Goddess had to go. But she knew they were near Wendel, and her Grampa, her friends, were in danger. Hence the morningstar flailed even more wildly than usual.

Her Grampa. She knew he was sick, but she hadn't seen him since she left to look for Heath. She had to get to see him! Tears welled in her eyes, but she pushed them down. She was a big girl, like Angela and Lise, she wouldn't cry here. Angela never seemed to cry, and Lise only cried when she was alone with Hawk. She had heard Lise cry, putting her ear to the door of their room in Forcena. It must have been very sad, because she heard both Lise and Hawk moaning a short while later.

A small harpy fell to the ground, its wings crushed by a morningstar. No, she wouldn't cry, she would be as brave as the others.

--

They had descended into an interior portion of the ruins, damp, mossy, and completely waterlogged. Slogging reluctantly through hip-deep pools of stagnant water, Angela tried to ignored the disgusting green glop floating past her legs and soaking her dress. She didn't even want to _think_ about the state of her hair, as much as she had tried to keep it above water level.

Finally, they emerged from the ick to a torchlit room in which two large mirrors hung on the wall. Other than that, it seemed to be a dead end.

"Now where?" asked Hawk.

"Don't tell me with have to travel through the pond scum again," Angela moaned. She looked in the mirrors, fixing her hair absentmindedly and picking some gooey grass out of it. Something was strange, though. She seemed to be just a little too... light.

Taking a step to the right, she looked at her second reflection. The hair in the mirror had darkened to a rich indigo. It sparked something… "I have an idea," she announced to the others, and stepping in front of the first mirror, she called Lumina.

The being barely shimmered into existence; as soon as the mirror caught the reflection of the elemental spirit, it cracked in a thousand places, and a wall behind them crumbled the same way in reflection.

"Whoa, I usually don't have that effect on people," commented the Elemental.

"Let's get Shade here," Lise suggested.

Stepping to the other mirror, she waited for Shade's image to appear at her side. At his arrival, the mirror did not crack, but turned a cloudy navy blue, and the color rippled, like waves...

"Isn't that the sound of running water?" asked Duran.

"Well, let's step outside and see if these algae-ridden pools have depleted," suggested Hawk. Angela crossed her fingers.

--

Kevin had morphed into his wolf form shortly after their arrival, as soon as the sun's departure would permit it. This was a being of Light they were fighting, after all, and it belonged to those of the Dark to defeat it. Looking at Hawk, blades at the ready, he thought of their shared bond. The prejudice that Light was superior than Dark was common, but considering the beast they were about to face, it appeared that element could be corrupted just as much the others.

Climbing out of the dank interior of the ruins, the path darted in a straight line to a open platform with no way out, just the sort of trap any predator would choose as a place to attack its prey. Kevin tensed, and was prepared when Lightgazer floated down with a whisper, rather than a shout.

The God-Beast of Light was a strange apparition, limbless and headless. It appeared to be nothing more than a giant eyeball, albeit one with stony armor. And it was looking right at him.

Kevin wasted no time in socking the monster. Instinctively, he assessed the exposed eyeball itself would be the most vulnerable part, but it floated serenely unconcerned overhead, the eye far out of his reach. He saw a dagger whistle past him, their enemy turning slightly to deflect it but the knife still reaching a hair's breadth away from his target. He left it to Hawk's skills and Angela's magic to focus on the core, while with another series of pummels, he assaulted the armor, hoping to break through the hard stone covering.

He lost himself in the fight.

--

Angela had been waiting for this one almost greedily. Choosing the path of the Oracle had sharpened her use of the dark magics, and few monsters were as vulnerable to that element as this one was. She allowed the energy to build up for the strongest spell she could manage.

When she released her power, dark needles went flying against the eyeball-thing, striking its armor in a hundred places. Its only expression was to blink, but to Angela, it was a _pained _sort of a blinking. She managed to slam a couple repeats of the spell into it, narrowly missing the eye-part each time, before a silvery barrier appeared around the grotesque sphere. It looked familiar.

"Is that Counter Magic?" she called to Hawk.

"No..." he yelled back, never removing his eyes from where he aimed his next throw. "It's similar, but I think it's just a magic shield. Your attacks won't hit it as hard, but they won't bounce back."

Well, not great news, but at least she could keep going. She grinned, preparing the next barrage of Dark energy. The power positively sang as it flowed through her, she barely tempering the flow before unleashing it. This was so much fun.

--

The trouble with being a fighter at the front of a battle, Duran thought, was that the attacks always hit you first.

He contemplated this lying on his back, looking up at the creature. Armor was not much good against magical beams of light. Who knew light could have the force to slam him on his back that way? He had strode in immediately, catching the creature with strong swings of his sword, until it retaliated with the force that had knocked him on his back and sent him sliding. He groaned slightly, pulling himself up slightly against the weight of his armor while its dents poke uncomfortably against his flesh.

To his left, Lise was getting to her hands and knees, looking dazed. Her armor didn't offer much protection as she was thrown against the paving stones, but it also didn't make it quite as difficult for her to get up. As Carlie came running towards her, the familiar blue light glowed, and Lise straightened.

Kevin seemed to handle the most brutal attacks like they were no more than a tickle. Duran made a mental note to ask the beastman how he disregarded the pain so easily, as he quickly healed himself before forcing himself up to his feet, trying a stab in the chinks of Lightgazer's armor, just as Hawk's dagger drove in to the left of the giant eye. The flinch showed him they had hit home, as Angela's next barrage began.

--

Angela's magic skills, heightened by Lise's new talents, scornfully swatted away the holy balls of light that flew at her. Holy Ball? That was her first spell, it was a spell for rookies!

"Let me show you how it's done!" she cackled, sounding like the "witch" that some called Altenan wizards. Dark energy flew from her.

Light exploded before her in retaliation. Or so she thought, shielding her mind and her eyes. But as the glare, bright as the sun, faded, she saw the pieces of the now-defunct God Beast burning in the air like embers before disappearing into nothingness.

In with a whisper, out with a bang, she thought.

--

Carlie couldn't hold her tears in anymore. Lise reached down for her hand, as they walked through the deserted streets of Wendel.

With her Grampa sick, the crowds that always came to worship were not there. It felt so different this way. Her friends even took her to the pub - she tried to tell them it was grownups only!

"Come on, Carlie, the Goddess created wine for us to enjoy," Hawk told her. The man in the pub didn't seem to care as she sat on Hawk's lap, taking sips from his cup, making a face - why did grownups think this tasted _good_? It was sour, and stung her throat.

"Getting a kid drunk, are we?" Angela raised an eyebrow.

Hawk gave her his trademark grin. "You really think this is the worst we've corrupted her?"

The barkeep only told them the same story they had heard all over Wendel. The Priest was ill, and visitors weren't allowed in the temple. But she wasn't a visitor, this was her home.

Even so, she knew they had to wait until morning to get in the temple, the doors were locked now and the guards were sleeping. But she was so scared she couldn't sleep, even after Lise tried to tuck her in and Hawk told her a couple funny stories. So they gave up, let her get out of bed, and for the first time she stayed up with the grownups.

No one wanted to play, though, they all just wanted to drink the nasty wine and talk. Even the Fairy. She was forced to amuse herself, arranging logs by the fireplace, but she still listened. 

"Well, we have to give the kid at least a chance to see her grandfather," Angela said.

"I wouldn't mind seeing him again myself, but I think that he's probably not much in the mood for advice-giving," said Lise.

"Good thing Richard knows so much about Mana, or we'd have no one to ask right now," added Duran.

Carlie lay down on the rug, drifting away as the Fairy complained. "_Another_ six days to Gnome's day? Really, I think you should..."

--

The Temple guards actually blocked their approach this time. Perhaps they were not useless figures, Angela thought; the whole aura of the place did seem to be on lockdown. "The temple is closed to visitors, due to the Priest's illness," they intoned, odd echoes of each other.

"But I'm here to see Grampa!" Carlie bounced forward, and the guards' expression changed completely.

The one on the left bent down to hug her. "Carlie! Where have you been? The Priest was so worried!"

"Maybe her presence will do him good," added the other. To the girl, he said, "Miss Charlotte, you'll find your grandfather in the infirmary... but you should know, he is very, very sick."

"I know," said Carlie, looking down sadly, one foot brushing the other.

Carlie led them up the stairs to the living quarters of the temple. Just as in the town, instead of being full of life and visitors, the place was silent as death.

Two priestess-nurses, dressed in the uniform of the temple, escorted them to where the Priest lay asleep. He had always looked quite old, but now he looked deathly pale, his breathing ragged, a wheeze whistling from his chest.

"Grampa!" Carlie ran to the bed, sniveling. "Have to help Grampa!" She cast healing light over the Priest - quite a substantial amount, Angela noted; for someone so small, she had quite a capacity for magic - but as the blue light faded, nothing changed. Determinedly, Carlie tried again, and again.

"Miss Carlie, we already tried that," one nurse told her sadly.

"It has to work, it has to!"

The nurse took her gently by the hand. "It's old age, Carlie, and not even Lumina has developed a cure for that. Perhaps if Heath were here, he might know a way..."

"Heath... gone too..." The little Priestess buried her head in the blankets next to her grandfather's head, sobs racking her. Lise move to kneel down and put an arm around her.

Angela wasn't terribly good at comfort, and right now, she felt like she was just in the way. She stepped outside in the corridor, leaving Lise with Carlie and her grief.

--

Outside the infirmary, she felt overtaken by a wave of dizziness, and leaned against the wall to steady herself. Tears came unwilling to her eyes. She wouldn't cry, she didn't even know the guy!

Strangely enough, it was Kevin who stepped outside the room to check on her. "Angela... okay?" he said, genuine concern in those amber eyes of his.

Angela put her hand to her chest, and drew a deep breath, forcing herself to composure. "I'm all right, Kevin. It was all just a little much in there, I think." She straightened, still feeling a little wobbly. The beastman was covered in bulky muscles, in sharp contrast to her slender figure, but he was only barely taller than her, and now they looked eye to eye.

Beastmen were not terribly touchy-feely creatures, but Kevin reached out and patted one of his big hands on her shoulder.

She lost it all over again, and threw her arms around him, sobbing.

The Beastman wouldn't have been more surprised if she had hit him with her cane. But, faced with a weeping human girl in his arms, he embraced her, only very lightly, but still.

As much as she would have enjoyed Duran's arms around her right then, somehow the quiet innocence of the shy beastman was enough.


	33. The Mountain Skies

**33. THE MOUNTAIN SKIES (ANGELA)**

They could not stay in Wendel, that was obvious. Carlie was consumed by grief, and it was rubbing off on the rest of them. Reluctantly, Lise decided to advance to Rolante. She had not planned to return home until she could stay for good, but it really would be the best place to stay, and prepare. Besides, as much confidence as she had in Eliza and Martyn, she felt like she should check back in.

Per her request, the party arrived at night. At least that way she could avoid making too much of a scene; by the time the castle realized she was there, she would already be quietly ensconced back in her rooms. The young Amazon at the castle gate that night was suitably intimidated when Flammie dropped off the Queen and her companions, but sent a messenger to wake up Eliza immediately. It was only a few minutes before Lise's friend appeared to welcome them.

"Lise! So good to see you!" Eliza laughed her deep, throaty laugh.

"It's only temporary, Eliza," Lise responded somberly. "We're here to get rid of the God-Beast of Wind."

Eliza's good humor diminished. "The God-Beast? Lise, has it really come to that?"

Duran interrupted. "We've gotten rid of three already."

Eliza was left speechless at that, but regained her composure shortly. "Well, that, at least, is good news, but if the God-Beast of Wind will be loose, we should make plans to defend the castle."

"There will be plenty of time for that, we won't confront the God-Beast until Gnome's day," Lise replied.

Eliza nodded her head in deference. "I'll have rooms prepared."

She seemed amused to find out that they would only need three guest rooms. Looking Hawk up and down appreciatively, she whispered to Lise, "I thought you would pick the Knight for sure, but that's a nice-looking specimen too."

Lise schooled her face to stillness, hoping that wasn't a blush spreading across her cheeks. She only hoped none of her friends had overheard Eliza.

--

Hawk was restless. They had chosen their planned order at random, but had inadvertently left to periods of several days in between; and the longer they waited, the more his agitation grew.

He had some inkling of why he was feeling so anxious. Although the chance to rest was good - fighting God-Beasts was no picnic - he knew they were becoming gradually stronger, and he was feeling a little unprepared.

He stayed every night with Lise, but, for him, lovemaking felt more about _need _than _want _right now. Always concerned for others, she seemed to sense this, and adapted. What she lacked in experience, she made up for in sensitivity, and with all the practice they'd been having, their encounters were rarely less than intense.

Nevertheless, he had taken to prowling the Rolante castle in the early evening, sometimes well into the night.

And that was how he met his first Rune Maiden.

To be more accurate, she was a Fenrir Knight, having undergone her final class change a couple years back, she later told him with pride in her voice. She had the dark brown hair that was rarely seen in Rolante, and from then on, Hawk always associated the Amazon dark classes with that dark hair.

She had the confidence and presence he had so often seen in Lise, but there was something in her that reminded him of Angela. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Instead of the Amazon armor, she wore a wispy, short dress in a blood red color, and soft brown boots. Apparently, he learned later, she wore the attire right into battle.

She was sitting on one of the many windowsills of Rolante, one leg reaching to the floor, the other propped up on the sill. As he approached, she looked up.

"Hawk," she greeted him.

"You know my name?" he said, puzzled.

She put her upraised leg on the floor, and swished off to walk towards him. She was tall, tall enough to look him in the eye, and Hawk was a couple inches taller than both Duran and Kevin. "When you're sleeping with the Queen, word gets around quickly. I wouldn't let you out of my bed, if I were her. And I am Rydia." 

It was very rare that Hawk was actually shocked. Even Angela was not this direct, not with a man she had just met.

Something must have crossed his face, for the Rune Maiden just laughed. "Oh no, Hawk, I won't be stealing the Queen's man. Even those of us who tread a darker path have nothing but the utmost respect for her."

"You too... you chose the dark, I can feel it," Hawk said, carefully hiding his surprise at the Amazon's mannerisms. It was such a contrast to the grace and dignity he associated with Lise.

"Yes, but you see, some have not made the more popular of the two choices here. We are our own little army within the army. I think I first chose the Dark because I was more comfortable at night.

"But your magic..." Rydia continued, "it's so untrained. The ninja learned their jutsus from us, did you know? That, and basic Altenan magic. They combined them into their own method."

"There's been no one to teach me," Hawk said defensively.

"Ah, but my dark sisters and I can..."

The rest of his time in Rolante, when not with Lise, he spent his time with those dark sisters. He had some idea of how the elemental parts of his spells worked, from watching Angela so many times. But he took to the odd spells of the Rune Maidens like a fish to water; his own jutsus worked much like their magic.

The Rune Maidens practiced on the monsters of the mountain slopes, but their most effective training was against each other. All the Amazons were brave, but these were raw daredevils.

It was the last night before they planned to confront the God-Beast. After an hour of continuous casting, Hawk had just executed all four jutsus in a row on Rydia, and he was feeling mentally and physically exhausted. It gave him new appreciation for the effort Angela expended in every fight.

Rydia pointed her spear at a steep angle to the ground, the "give up" signal they used for safety. Hawk felt suddenly worried and guilty, looking at her splayed on the ground, breathing heavily, a look of fear on her face... His magic had gotten much stronger; what if he had seriously hurt her?

But she clambered to her feet, and a naughty smile replaced the fright.

"You'd make a fine Rune Maiden, Hawk," said the Fenrir Knight. "Would you like a dress, too?"

--

The next morning found them assembling outside Rolante palace, anxiously waiting as Lise took care of business.

"We'll be back by midnight," Lise told the attending troops as she gave them their last-minute instructions. "If not, fear the worst. In any case, the castle is prepared for the possibilities. Keep everyone inside except those you absolutely have to, and even those who are out patrolling the walls should be prepared to head inside at a moment's notice. If attacked, the castle might not be destroyed, but anyone exposed outdoors won't stand a chance."

"It will be done. I pray for your safety," intoned Eliza solemnly, and Lise only nodded as her departing words.

They crossed west, and entered the Corridor of Wind as before. Only, Angela reflected, it had just been her, Duran, and Lise who made that first trip, Lise gaining the trio entry. She felt like such a different person than she had been then.

In more ways than one. The monsters infecting the Corridor were easily dispatched with a casual swipe of her cane; she barely had to swat them this time, much less resort to magic. They got through the Corridor twice as fast as they had on their first trip. As they got closer to where the Mana Stone had resided, however, the creatures were stronger, and Angela was slicing them with diamond missiles once again. Had she not known where they were going, this alone would have been enough to tell her they were approaching something very dangerous.

Her magic senses were screaming as they approached the cavern where the Stone had formerly resided. She had warned the others, and before stepping in, they readied their weapons. Angela took a deep breath and entered.

The cavern was empty.

How could that be? Her magic senses were positively off the _scale_, like an itch she couldn't scratch.

"Well, it seems it's still in the vicinity," said a relieved-sounding Lise as Angela voiced her concerns.

"Maybe it's outside," suggested Kevin.

"How terribly ironic that it would be in the exact spot they had found Jinn," observed Angela.

Lise was already striding to the cavern's exit. "There's nowhere else to go from here."

--

Outside, she was already braced for action when she spotted a two-headed, vicious bird-like creature, perching on the edge of the cliff. Lise had an uncomfortable feeling that it was gazing straight at Rolante. She felt Angela gathering energy for a magic attack, but Dangaard felt the Mana as well. The right head turned back and looked at them.

Angela prepared to release, and the God-Beast launched into the sky. Her gem spell hit the ground ineffectually as the monster took flight over the valley. Lise was already running to the edge as it launched itself into the air. Dangaard had turned away from Rolante, she was relieved to note, but was rapidly flying further away.

"_Damn_! It's out of my magic range!" cried Angela.

Kevin, arriving at Lise's right, handed her Flammie's drum. "Only one way to catch up," he told her. Lise nodded, and swung the drum over her head. As the dragon came roaring down the mountain, seemingly as tense as they themselves were, Lise called over the thunderous noise. "Hurry, everyone!"

"Well, I guess we'll see now if the Goddess really will hold us on," observed Hawk, vaulting on with his hand on one wing to balance.

"You're _all_ crazy!" shouted Angela, who nevertheless was the third on, right behind Lise herself. Angela might once have been a spoiled and self-centered Princess, but she had never been one to let her fear get in her way.

It was the quickest they had ever climbed on their friendly dragon, and Flammie accelerated with a speed not seen since their frantic trip to the Holyland. Ahead of them, Dangaard was already heading out north, towards the open ocean, but Flammie was quickly catching up. It might be just ten or twenty minutes before they were in fighting range of the beast.

As they approached, Dangaard wheeled around, somehow maintaining the same speed backwards, but the heads faced them viciously. It looped in vicious circles around Flammie, who lurched to the side, trying to compensate. Lise fell against a wing. Was that the Goddess's work, or just dumb luck?

"Kevin, talk to her, just keep her on track! You won't be able to get close enough to fight Dangaard with bare hands anyway!" As she called backwards, and Kevin scrambled past her to reach Flammie's head, Lise herself stood up on the Dragon's back. Precariously balanced on the back of a flying beast going at high speeds, her hair whipping behind her, with a vicious two-headed creature circling threateningly around her... she had never been less afraid.

--

Carlie touched his hand, looking solemnly up into Duran's face. She had already infused Lise's spear with the earth power of Gnome, but the Knight could see the length and lightness of her spear was working against her in this high wind.

His heavy sword was balanced against his arm, though. As the God-Beast began its circling once again, Duran waited for the closest point, then slashed. The shriek that erupted from the mutated bird indicated his swipe had cleaved skin, but Duran had known as soon as the blade made contact that it wasn't enough.

He was going to have to catch Dangaard at exactly the right moment. He braced, knuckles tight around the hilt of his sword, and waited poised to attack as the monster circled back.

--

Hawk wasn't having much luck, for once in his life. He had the same problem that Kevin did, the monster was swinging way too widely for his short-range attacks, and the high winds made throwing shurikens impossible even for him.

Well, he'd had a chance to sharpen a few other ninja skills recently. He hoped the confidence of Rydia had not been misplaced, as he began a rapid barrage of spells. Undine's power reduced the power of those snapping heads before someone inevitably was bitten. Salamando's power, for Duran's forceful swings to dig deeper. Finally he rattled off Gnome's power, time after time, seeing satisfying flinches of pain from Dangaard as he waited expectantly for Angela's magic attacks to join his.

--

Angela had forgotten all about the insane heights they were soaring through. She was deliriously absorbed in casting magic, bigger, faster. Her first barrage of gemstone projectiles slammed into the creature, who emitted a shrill sound of pain, and wobbled slightly closer to Flammie's back.

Not to be outdone, Duran swiped at the creature, expertly cleaving off the left head. A neck trailing bloody pieces of flesh fell past them, before it dissolved into miniscule pieces as had previous foes.

The remaining head dove to snap at the human who had injured it so. Angela cringed as the snapping jaws closed on Duran's leg. Duran grunted, falling to his knees, but righted himself before even the glow of healing surrounded him to fix an incision much smaller than Angela had expected. She had thought the thing had cut to the bone.

Her flash of worry had caused her to lose her spell for a moment, but she quickly regained concentration and hit Dangaard on its remaining head. It flapped wildly, and Angela hoped for a moment that they had gained the advantage. She began another large spell, but even before the monster regained stability, Angela felt a familiar surge, and a bolt of thunderous energy launched towards her.

As it hit her, square in the chest, she wondered whether Lise's protective spell was enough for her to survive.

--

Lise saw Carlie leaning over Angela, but the older girl was not getting up. She couldn't allow herself to imagine that Angela was dead - her enhancement magic should have ensured that in any case - but it looked as if it was taking Carlie several rounds of healing to revive her.

They were going to have to endure the rest of the battle without her magic.

Hawk had also arrived at this conclusion. "I'll keep going with the earth spells," he yelled, "but they don't have the power of Angela's magic!"

Lise was barely able to nod in acknowledgement before bracing her spear for another swing by the God-Beast. In these winds, she could not use her usual techniques; the best she could do was to watch their enemy's motions, and try to position her spear for Dangaard to catch on it. It was down to her and Duran.

Which gave her an idea.

It was just luck that she was able to catch the Knight's eye so fast. She motioned upwards with her spear, and he nodded. Fortunately, their impromptu sparring matches had put them pretty much in tune with each other in a fight.

As Dangaard dove for them yet again, she braced her spear against the base of Flammie's wing, giving her room for only a limited slash against Dangaard's right wing. At the same time, Duran swung his sword at the base of the left wing.

She knew her stroke would not be forceful enough, but it knocked the creature just enough off balance for Duran's sword to cleave straight through the root of the wing.

Dangaard landed on Flammie's back with a thud.

Flammie balked, but Kevin's soothing wolf-language seemed to tell her that everything would be alright, that the humans would get rid of the nasty creature soon as long as she kept them all in the air.

Or so they thought. The crippled creature let out a wail, and even in pain, it still found the inner strength for magic.

The winds that hit them were like nothing they had experienced. It barely felt like wind, it felt like knives digging into their skin. Lise instinctively covered her face, and the winds sliced her right off the dragon. She felt herself falling, thinking whatever protection the Goddess provided, in these days of failing Mana, could not stand up against these powerful air slashes. She only hoped her efforts had been enough to spare Rolante.

But before she could scream, a hand grabbed her behind her upper back. She looked up to see Hawk, leaning over the dragon's side, himself barely hanging on to a couple of Flammie's wing feathers. She thought she was saved, but as firmly as Hawk's right arm pulled her closer to him, she saw his left hand slipping... it was only a couple of fingers holding them on... His face was contorted as he strained to pull them both up.

Roughly she felt herself hurled on the back of Flammie, and Hawk landed on top of her with a thud. She looked up and saw Kevin, realizing it had been his brute strength that had hauled _both _of them back to safety.

She resolved to thank them later, but her head was spinning, and it was all she could do to cling to Flammie's back.

--

Duran had been temporarily rejoicing as the bird's wing cleaved off, but he quickly regained focus as he saw Lise go over the side.

He had no time to react, before first Hawk, then Kevin dove for her. He saw her flung back onto Flammie's back, and he exhaled a breath he didn't even know he was holding. She was alive.

In his concern, he had forgotten the injured God-Beast who had nearly cost Angela and Lise their lives. He turned around, just to see Carlie bash the second head in with her morningstar. He had just enough time to wonder how they were going to clean bits of brain off Flammie's back - they couldn't possibly leave her soiled, after all she'd done for them - when the remains of the God-Beast dissolved, just as they had seen before. Well. That pretty much took care of that problem.

"Duran?" he heard a weak voice calling. In an instant he had switched to his other duty.

Kneeling at Angela's side, he caressed her hair tenderly. "What happened, Duran?" she asked.

"It's okay now, the God-Beast is finished."

"But I should have helped... I could've done more..." This sounded just like Lise. The women had officially spent too much time together.

Lise would never hear that she wasn't needed, and he knew Angela wouldn't right now, either. "You did great, my love," he said, imitating Hawk's smooth tone the best he could manage. "Carlie, is she healed now?" he asked the little girl.

"Yup, Angela better," Carlie said, "but she was hurt bad, she needs to go sleepy-sleepy now."

That was reassuring. Duran was concerned about her passing out while still dangerously injured. "Rest, Angela," he said, and the amethyst-haired woman he held shut her eyes gratefully.


	34. Deep in the Valley of Flames

**34. DEEP IN THE VALLEY OF FLAMES (DURAN)**

The shaken party returned to Rolante. Lise held her regal presence as her retainers flocked to her.

"Your Majesty! Are you alright? Can we do anything for you?" Obviously Palace servants, to address her so formally.

The Amazons were at once more serious but less formal. "Miss Lise! It's almost dark, we were so worried."

Lise held up her hand to silence them. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine. I am worried about my friends here," she said, motioning to Duran, carrying the exhausted Angela.

Flammie had dropped them off just outside the Rolante gates, so Duran had not been carrying her far. Nevertheless, he was grateful for the efficiency with which the Rolantish organized help for Angela. Within a couple minutes, a litter had been prepared for the Altenan Princess.

Duran followed behind closely, as Angela was gently laid on the bed she had been sharing with Duran. The castle priestess-healer, a middle-aged woman from Wendel, was summoned, and arrived with great urgency. Carlie stood by her countrywoman nervously, hopping from one foot to the other while the woman completed her examination. "Is Angela going to be alright, huh huh?"

The healer turned to the little girl. "Charlotte, your magic must be quite powerful." To the waiting Lise and Duran, she said, "Without Charlotte's help, and Her Majesty's enhancements, I think Angela surely would have died. It appears that she was hit at a vulnerable point while attempting an especially powerful spell, when her own magic reserves were too exhausted to protect her. She needs rest, now. And no magic usage for three days!"

Duran nodded seriously. No magic until Undine's day, the day when they had planned to fight the God-Beast of Fire. His responsible side felt relief that they would not encounter any delays, but protecting Angela was the more important task, when it came right down to it. He knew he would delay their quest as long as need be, or even stay behind if the others went ahead, rather than risk her.

And that might mean protecting her from herself this time. No magic for three days? She would not like that one bit, she was using fire magic to heat tea in the morning. He'd tie her down if he had to.

--

Angela slept through most of that first day. Or so they told her. She remembered her friends' faces vaguely; apparently they had all taken turns checking on her.

It was Lise who was there when she woke up for good. Late afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows. She hadn't felt this exhausted since she escaped the castle at Altena.

Lise caught Angela's instinctive grope towards the empty side of the bed. "Duran's asleep in my room. I sent him there, because I knew otherwise he'd never let himself fall asleep for worry over you. He was as exhausted as any of us, and I told him my attendants would take proper care of you, but he insisted on staying up all night until noon today, until he was so tired he could not stand up."

The Queen of Rolante laughed then. "Kevin actually scooped him up and carried him to my room. Oh, Angela, you should have been there, it was quite a sight."

Angela smiled a wan smile. Perhaps it was better she hadn't seen her noble Knight being handled like a baby; he wouldn't like her seeing him that way. She knew his strengths and weaknesses; she also knew he liked to pretend he had none of the latter.

The rest of what Lise had to tell her was more sobering. From what the healer said, it sounded like she was nearing the edge of her magical reserves, and it still wasn't enough.

"Well, I've been reading - " Lise always seemed to be reading something - "and it seems the forces of fire and water are more powerfully opposed than any others, save light and dark. You might not need to use spells quite so powerful on those two. And Mispolm, the God-Beast of Wood, most likely has the same ability to counter magic that the Gildervine did, so we'll probably have to go without attack magic in that battle anyway."

Angela struggled to pay attention, but she felt her eyelids drooping again. Lise, always observant, did not fail to notice. "Go back to sleep, Angela. You'll need it. We'll be here for you." As Angela snuggled back into her blankets, she saw her friend pick back up the book next to her, and curl her legs under herself in the chair.

--

At the touch of Kevin's big hand, Angela woke up with a start. "Sorry, Angela," he said. "There's breakfast for you."

At the mention of breakfast, Angela realized she was starving. Somehow liquids had been forced into her, but the last solid thing she ate had been the light meal they had eaten while walking through the Corridor of Wind. Rolantic food was a little richer than she was used to, but the meal she had been brought was fairly light. Even as starving as she was, her stomach wasn't ready to accept much more.

Kevin was okay with silence, which was just right; Angela did not have much energy for conversation quite yet. She curled up for a couple hours, staring at the ceiling.

A knock on the door, and in entered Hawk and Carlie.

"Carlie was very insistent on playing games with you to cheer you up," Hawk said with a wink. And Hawk was there to keep Carlie from wearing her out, Angela understood. Kevin departed, with a couple words to let her know he was glad she was feeling better.

Carlie excitedly hopped on the bed beside her, and Hawk managed to convince her that playing cards was the greatest thing ever. Card games with friends were one of the few things that Hawk would not cheat at. Though he could read them all so well he didn't need to. Idly, Angela wondered about the Queen of Ice depicted on the card she was holding. It certainly looked nothing like her mother, thought they got the purple hair right.

Fortunately, it was Carlie who seemed to exhaust before Angela. Hawk scooped the girl up onto one of the couches, covering her with a blanket. He lay next to Angela on the bed companionably. Nothing suggestive there; they had resolved all that months ago. Duran didn't even blink an eye when he returned, a couple of hours later.

Angela brightened at his entry, though the only signs she allowed to show were a straightening of her back and a small smile on her face. Another part of her felt suddenly embarrassed at her girlish response. She still had a hard time admitting she was in love with this man, though it was becoming harder still to imagine not having him around.

As Hawk stood and exited the room, Duran lay down in his place. She could feel the difference as Duran's heavier body weighed on the mattress. She slid back down into the sheets, and curled against him as he put his arm over her.

--

"I am _perfectly_ fine! We're going to the Valley of Flames today!"

Duran knew she must be feeling better if she was back to arguing so vehemently. He had only suggested she might want a few more days, but she wouldn't hear of it, even with the rest of the party willing to delay. Except the Fairy, but Duran had flatly told her that she of all people should know how close Angela had come to dying, having been in her head at the time.

Flying away from Rolante, the fresh mountain coolness gave way to familiar sweltering heat. Angela rode at the front this time, her restless need to be doing something, _anything _after three days in her room overcoming for once her desperate fear of heights.

Duran felt naked without his armor. He had been insistent on bringing it, as uncomfortable as their first trip through the caverns had been, but Lise reminded him that this was the God-Beast of Fire, and Hawk's graphic descriptions of what it might feel liked to be cooked inside one's own armor had finally convinced him. Lise had been able to find him a heavy, but comfortable tunic, large enough to fit the breadth of his chest. The clothes of a blacksmith, he suspected. It was serviceable enough.

Fortunately, their aerial transportation was able to bypass the entire desert, dropping them near the entrance to the Valley. Not that it would be any cooler near the river of flames, but the trip would be shorter. As they disembarked onto the hot sand, Duran felt suddenly grateful he had been talked out of his armor. Perhaps learning the desert ways of weapons and armor was not a bad idea. He gave a few practice swings of his sword, getting the feel of its weight without the balance of his gauntlets.

Other than Hawk, it was only Carlie who didn't seem to be slowed by the scorching weather around them. She happily ran down the slope to the entrance of the cave, jumping up and down excitedly. "Come on, guys!"

Duran refused to run, but took longer strides to catch up. He barely had caught up to the Priestess before she ran inside the cave. He hurried after her, before one of the fire-breathing lizards that populated these caverns attacked her.

Too late. The lizard had already been gruesomely mangled by Carlie's morningstar. Who gave a kid such a brutal weapon, anyway? Then again, the rest of their weapons, even Angela's cane, required some strength and skill to use; the morningstar probably gave Carlie the best attacking power a child could have.

"Where to now, Angela? The same way as before?" Hawk asked apprehensively. He knew the way through the caverns, obviously, but Angela had the best senses to pinpoint the exact location of the God-Beast.

She cocked her head, momentarily, as if listening to something. "I think it's this way," she said, pointing to a cavern slanting down to their left.

"I should have known," Hawk sighed. "That way leads straight down. It's only getting hotter from here on, guys."

Any hopes of a short walk were dashed as they descended further and further into the Valley. The sky above was barely visible, blocked behind the cliffs; the rock overhangs blocked the heat of the sun, but made it harder for the heat of the flames below to escape.

Glancing at Angela, he saw she appeared to be dragging. He stepped over to her, concerned. She did not brush away his concern as she might once have, nor did she pretend it was nothing. "It's not what you think, Duran, it's just the heat. It's not easy for someone who grew up in the snow." Reassured, he returned his gaze to the path ahead.

Kevin swung at one of the bizarre helmeted duck-like creatures that were pestering them this deep in the valley, knocking it off the rocky path. It hit the flames and was burnt a crisp almost instantly. "Better stay away from edge," observed the Bashkar.

The stone walkways they were crossing now seemed to be right at the valley floor, if indeed it had a floor. They seemed to have reached the lowest point, and that probably meant the God-Beast was near. As they entered the next cavern, Duran saw at first nothing but spinning flames. He thought it was an effect of the flames of the valley floor, until they resolved themselves into the shape of a legless dragon. A dragon of fire.

Suddenly grateful to be lacking armor, Duran realized his sword by itself would be useless. "Carlie," he asked the little girl, now behind him, "Do you have Undine's magic for this sword?" The girl nodded, now serious. Her little hand covered his, on the hilt of his sword, which gained a bluish tint and grew cold in his hand.

Carlie did not need to be told to do the same for the others, stepping quickly to Hawk. Lise was already laying her spells on the party, first on Angela this time. Even if she wasn't going to be able to unleash spells as strong as usual, Angela's magic was still the biggest advantage they had against Xan Bie.

Hawk launched into his spells, now easily cast as quickly as his knife throws. "I can't lower its magic power, that's a Salamando thing!" he called. "Be ready to get some fire thrown your way!"

"Lise, give us all some magic defense first!" Angela yelled back. "We might have some powerful spells coming at us!"

Lise nodded and, reaching for Duran, cast a different spell than the strengthening spell she usually gave him. He felt that one in his body; but this new one was all in his mind.

No matter. With Carlie's magic, he made the first slash at the beast of fire, his chilled sword hissing through its body as the blade cleaved through without resistance. Immediately after, Angela's ice spell smashed into Xan Bie, sizzling as it collided. Not as big as she could do, but he was glad she was at least starting off restrained.

The God-Beast slowed briefly, but the flames comprising its body flared, and in an instant, it blazed as brightly as before.

"How do we fight something that can recover so easily?" wailed Lise.

"Only one way - overwhelm it! Same way you fight any fire!" Kevin announced.

"Bad monster!" yelled Carlie. She had enchanted her own morning star, and sent a whack against the head of the monster. The damage was not as severe as the gruesomely dispatched monsters Duran had seen earlier, but the flinch of the monster and the _thwack _he heard, as if hitting something solid, gave him an idea.

"The head!" he yelled. "It's the only part that isn't pure fire! Everyone get ready, we'll attack together!"

--

Hawk gave up slashing with his iced knives at Duran's call. They _all _stopped; they would have to coordinate in order to take this beast of flames down. The monster seemed to pause itself as they ceased their attack, confused by the change in plans.

For a moment, it was a stalemate, the party staring at the God-Beast and vice versa. Then, without warning, the monster emitted a focused heat beam, straight at Hawk.

Instinctively, the Ninja rolled, and missed the beam by only a split second. He looked at the rocks where he had been standing, to see a fine line burned into the stone wall.

He shuddered to think what that might do to flesh.

"Duran! We have to keep moving! Don't be an easy target!" Hawk was already taking his own advice, running to the opposite side of the stone platform.

--

Angela had run to the left just as Hawk had run to the right. As the party splintered away from one another, the God-Beast seemed unsure where to send the next attack.

Angela was preparing her next ice smash to hit while the monster was still confused. Focused on building her power, her concentration just happened to register what was happening at the edge of her vision.

Lava was bubbling over the edges of the platform, creeping towards all of them. Suddenly she was glad she had a water spell ready to go. Still holding the concentrated power, she quickly changed her mental concept from the targeted spell she had planned, to a more diffuse covering.

"Hawk! Water magic, quick!" she called, just before releasing her own spell. Hawk was the only one besides herself with any kind of water magic, and as the lava spread rapidly across the ground they stood on, she knew she was going to need all the help she could get.

--

Duran saw the wave of lava sizzle away, under the force of Angela and Hawk's ice spells, but it had barely been stopped before covering the platform completely, and had followed right on the tail of the beam that had scarred solid rock.

This was not promising. With that level of magic being thrown at them, they were entirely on the defensive, with barely a chance to attack, and if they couldn't get on the offensive, it would quickly wear Angela and Hawk down. He had to get them in order quickly. "Kevin, Lise, Hawk, get ready! We're going to slash it all at once! Angela, hit it with magic right after us, when it's weakened!" He hoped they were listening.

--

Kevin rolled out of the way of the lava wave, gurgling hot liquid barely missing his skin, just as Hawk's jutsu sent a wave of water crashing into the molten rock.

He heard Duran's call, and his fighter's instincts took over. Xan Bie was facing him now, and he ran forward. His punches took the God-Beast full in the face, leaving gaping pockets where his icy metal knuckles had made contact.

--

As soon as Kevin socked the God-Beast, the flames began circling it again, leaving the head floating eerily by itself in the middle of the typhoon.

The wooden handle of Lise's spear could not cut through those flames, and she pulled back against the rock wall defensively. From her vantage point, she watched, and noticed that the circling fire never dipped lower than three feet above the ground. She decided to try a daring move.

Dropping to the ground, a quick roll put her in the center of the circle. Heat radiated all around her, but she already had her spear in position, and she carried the momentum of her roll into the slash of the weapon. Her spear caught one of the curled horns that decorated the side of its head, slicing cleanly through. The horn fell to the ground with a clink.

Without thinking, she reached for the severed horn, dropping it immediately as she realized it was burning hot. No matter. At least she knew now that this beast could, in fact, be injured. She curled, and rolled once again away from the creature, springing immediately to her feet to wait for her next opening.

That was when the bombs started.

--

Hawk dove away from the explosion as soon as he saw the projectile from the God-Beast.

It wasn't a true bomb, but rather a ball of fire that burst violently outward. He suspected that made the damage no less severe. He wondered if Xan Bie had a personal resentment against him, since he was getting the brunt of the attack. Maybe it was the frozen shuriken he had just thrown, cleaving into Xan Bie's cheek.

He was ready for the next one, though. His water jutsu was poised to go, as he saw the bomb bounce near Carlie. "Carlie, look out!" he yelled as he cast his spell over the exploder.

Just in time. The magic collided to neutralize the brunt of the attack, and Carlie was merely knocked off-balance. As she regained her legs, she looked positively pouty, and the Priestess reacted with typical overzealousness. Ducking to get within the circle of flames, her next blow took Xan Bie right between the eyes.

--

Duran could somehow sense the beast was getting desperate. Their rapid chain attack had definitely weakened it, but it was Carlie's unanticipated direct hit that really seemed to help. Still, what would have been a killing blow from the morningstar on any other monster only slowed this one down.

"Everyone, get ready! I think we can take it down if we do that again!" Duran yelled.

"Way ahead of you!" Angela called, as her spell smashed into the injured head. Even as it reeled against the force of the spell, the injured beast only seemed to get mad, and Duran could feel another magic spell building to come their way.

Fountains of fire billowed out in a line, and the blazing wall tore through the cavern.

"Everyone _down_!" yelled Duran, but no one needed his encouragement. The fires tore over them, catching clothing, stinging flesh. He thought he heard Lise's scream.

As soon as the flames cleared, Carlie jumped up to attend to the burns the party had sustained, but Xan Bie took advantage of their distraction to hover past the edge of the platform, crossing towards a fireplace of sorts, a hollow rock pillar that funneled and focused the flames from the valley floor.

Despair gripped Duran. As hard as they had fought, once Xan Bie reached that concentrated fire, it would relight, and they would have to start over again.

--

"Oh no you _don't_!" shouted Angela. She was rapidly disregarding the advice to conserve her magic energy. She had been forbidden magic for three days, this thing was taking too long to die, and she was _pissed_.

It wasn't necessarily helping her spell to run towards the retreating Xan Bie, but pure fury drove her sprinting across the platform. She fed her anger into the spell, hurling the smashing blocks of ice full force just before the God-Beast retreated to its flaming sanctuary. Just as her icebergs sizzled into nothingness, she felt the Mana surge from Hawk, and a waterfall poured over the diminished form of Xan Bie.

When the water cleared, all that remained was a stone head. It floated, a hollow skull, just off the edge of the platform, eyes seeming to bore into her.

"Let me," said the voice of Kevin behind her. She stepped back.

One barrage of his fists, and the skull fell in the lava, vaporized as easily the duck-creature they had seen earlier. And that was the end of Xan Bie, God-Beast of Fire.

She turned back to her friends. She was sure she had seen the wall of fire tear right over Lise, but her friend sat on the ground, somewhat shaken but unburnt. Hawk knelt next to her, and the two exchanged quiet, urgent-sounding murmurs.

It had been brutal, but they had survived another God-Beast.


	35. Forest of Wonder

**35. FOREST OF WONDER (HAWK)**

Though their next target was in the Forest of Wonder, no one really seemed to want to go to Diorre immediately, except Carlie, who seemed very agitated to see her "Fairy Grampa" once again. When Hawk suggested a couple nights in Sultan, there was no argument. Lise had to have her spear repaired anyway; the blade was intact, but the wooden handle had burnt to ash in the blaze that had seared her skin.

Lise knew why Hawk did not suggest a return to Navarre. Though they would have certainly been welcomed, it had been only a short time ago that Hawk's breakup, and awkward goodbye to Jessica, had occurred. She had resisted him when he was with someone else; now that he was hers, and hers alone, she found herself wanting to keep him close.

The early evening cool had just set in as the tired party was set down by Flammie just outside the gates of Sultan. They barely had time for a brief meal of desert snacks - fried lizard, grilled cactus - before collapsing into bed. Lise curled up next to Hawk between sheets of the soft silk the city was known for, and let herself drift into pleasant dreams.

--

The next day was Dryad's day, but it was so hot, Carlie thought that sure that Salamando was just plain messing with them

Hawk was the only one Carlie could convince to go to the Sultan beach that afternoon. Her other friends kept insisting it was too hot, and they were going to stay in the coolness of the inn. She didn't mind the heat, she was just happy it was sunny out, and she ran into the waves without hesitation. Hawk followed her in.

She liked all her friends; Lise was so nice, Angela was so pretty and smart. But Hawk was usually the only one who would play with her. Didn't the rest of them like to have fun? Hawk didn't even mind when she splashed him. He dunked her right back, and she came up, laughing.

They dried on the beach, Carlie shaping the sand into a castle, ignoring the sand all over her smock. "Which castle is that?" asked Hawk.

"Rolante Castle," Carlie announced. She had liked Lise's home very much.

"Why didn't you make the Temple of Light?"

Carlie felt suddenly very sad. She looked back at Hawk, who was frowning at her; she thought he looked pretty sad, too.

"Hawk, what if Grampa dies? Heath is gone too, who will take care of me?" She tried to push down the tears.

Hawk gave her a tight hug. "Well, I'm sure other people in Wendel would take care of you. Or, you could go live in Rolante, with Lise. Maybe you could visit Navarre again, too. Would you like that?"

She would, very much so.

Leaning against her friend, Carlie felt better. It had been worrying her for a long time, but now she knew she had friends who would take care of her.

--

Lise was awakened lightly by Hawk. She looked up at him groggily. "Back already? Where's Carlie?"

"We got back from the beach an hour ago. She was exhausted, she's sleeping right now. The rest of you slept right through the heat of the day; it's early evening right now. Angela is arranging for a late dinner for us all, but in the meantime, it's your turn to go to the beach." He took her hand with a wonderfully warm smile. She didn't know what he was up to, but she couldn't say no to a smile like that.

He didn't let go of her hand as they walked the short path down from the Sultan port. Hawk carried a bundle under his other arm, and she wondered what was in it, but let her curiosity go in enjoying the pleasure of the moment.

She looked for a moment at the man next to her. Was there a time in her life where she had thought she didn't have room for love? Then again, she had never met anyone as determined as Hawk. It still surprised her, the intensity with which he gave his love, and she was sometimes taken aback that she was the object.

She heard the gentle sounds of the waves crashing against the shore as they crossed onto the sand. Hawk pulled a blanket from his bundle, laying it out for her to step lightly on. As she sat, Hawk joined her, wrapping a second blanket around them both. Lise knew from the time in Navarre that this was the most pleasant time of day, but the cold would set in quickly, and the stone cliffs of the Sand Palace were not here to protect them from the worst of the weather. But she would enjoy the minutes they had out here for as long as she could.

She let herself lean back against Hawk's chest, sighing contentedly. As much as she loved all her new friends, as close as she had become with Angela, it was really only with Hawk that she could forget her kingdom, her responsibilities, her brother still in captivity. And not feel guilty.

They didn't talk for a long time. They didn't need to.

Lise finally broke the silence. "Thank you for bringing me here," she told the man holding her.

"You're welcome," he responded with that grin she knew so well. And he bent down to kiss her.

A long minute later, Hawk spoke again. "I must confess, I had ulterior motives bringing you down here."

"Oh? And what's that?" Lise fluttered her lashes in her best Angela imitation.

Hawk didn't answer her, kissing her slowly up and down her neck.

Lise let him guide. He laid her back, shaping her body to his as he slid off her clothes, tossing them onto the rapidly cooling sands.

--

Sharing a communal bedroom with their friends was not terribly romantic, Angela observed. Especially when a couple was fighting.

"What were you thinking, pulling out a big spell like that?"

"I was thinking of saving us all, you dimwit!"

"You just wanted to pull that out, didn't you? You knew you shouldn't have exerted yourself that way! You're in love with your magic, you can't do without it!"

_I'm in love with you, stupid_, was what Angela wanted to say. Instead, she yelled back, "Tell that to the next God-Beast!"

Carlie walked into the dining room, bleary-eyed after a long nap. "What's all the shouting about?"

Angela and Duran only looked at each other, embarrassed at being caught mid-bicker, though Angela's temper was still flaring.

Kevin followed closely behind Carlie, much more alert than the young girl was. He was insistent that they wait for Lise and Hawk, though all were starving. Fortunately, the two in question appeared not long afterward, identical slightly guilty smiles on their faces. Angela had no doubt what they had been up to. But looking at them, gazing lovingly at each other, she suddenly felt bad for yelling at Duran.

She glanced at the man in question, but he was resolutely staring straight ahead, stone-faced. Fine, then.

As they began their midnight dinner together, Hawk was the first to speak. "I think we will probably want to get to Diorre early on the Mana Holy Day. We don't know exactly how long it will take to find the God-Beast."

"That's three days from now," observed Lise.

"Well, does anyone object to staying here in Sultan?" Hawk asked. "The elves would welcome us for a night or so, but I don't think we should push our luck. Besides, it's a lot more relaxing here." Angela wondered if she was the only one who noticed Lise's sudden blush.

--

They ended up traveling to Diorre the night before, deciding to start from there in the morning. Lise hefted her new weapon, feeling it for weight. The wooden handle was reinforced with coils of metal, and inlaid with gold.

"A Valkyrie's spear," Lise commented, proudly.

The inn welcomed them back, but they felt obligated somehow to drop in that they would be only there for one night. Oh, and they were here to fight the God-Beast.

The lampflowers had already faded to white when they gathered outside the inn. There were two ways to get to the Forest of Wonder - the mysterious way Carlie had somehow found, or by air, with the directions the Faerie King had provided the night before. Carlie had the memory of a child, though, and asking her to find the way had only prompted a miscellaneous set of images and landmarks, and few directions. That pretty much settled it.

Traveling northeast from the village, it was not hard to find the clearing that had formerly housed the Mana Stone. It was also the only clearing suitable for Flammie to land in.

Yet as soon as they landed, they all suddenly felt on edge. The clearing seemed eerily empty; it was as if the forest itself mourned the loss of the Mana Stone, and a hush settled across the party.

"Well," Duran said, at long last, breaking the silence, "I see only one way out of here." Reminded of their purpose, the party reluctantly shuffled deeper into the forest.

--

Morning sunlight streamed between the trees of the Forest of Wonder. Lise began to understand the name; she was a little in awe herself.

Their walk through the woods was only slightly marred by the corrupted fungi and bugs that attacked. Even so, the monsters seemed much easier than those they had faced recently. Sporadic jokes from Hawk kept the party's spirits up, while Duran and Kevin scoured the sides of the path. Carlie skipped ahead happily, until Lise's call stopped her until the party could catch up with her. Skip, stop, skip, stop.

Angela was the only one who didn't seem to feel peaceful in this forest. Lise drew back to walk next to her. "What's the matter?"

--

This forest was driving Angela crazy. Maybe this God-Beast was really much stronger, because her magic senses were whirring.

"Don't you feel it?" she practically screeched when Lise inquired.

"I sense something, but we all knew that was there anyway," Lise replied.

Obviously, her friends were not experiencing the same thing she was. She forced herself to calm down and reason it out. She knew she had reached the limits of her current magical abilities, but her magic _senses _seemed to be improving. It was like she wanted more magic, but couldn't get it. It was pissing her off.

Unless...

"Fairy," she inquired quietly of the being floating beside her - for once she would have preferred the Fairy to be in her head, so she could communicate her worry silently - "have I reached the limits of my power?"

The Fairy was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Angela," she finally replied. "The Goddess won't answer the question."

So she was stuck figuring it out on her own. Great. Fantastic. Wonderful. Even as Lise returned, trying to cheer her, she couldn't get out of her own thoughts, and Lise eventually sensed her need to be alone and left.

She had grown up for nineteen years not knowing any magic, and thought everything would be alright once she learned. But nothing had worked out as she had thought. She had expected her mother to welcome her back; but she wasn't sure where her mother was, or if Valda was even still alive. She though just being able to touch magic would be enough; but instead it found her wanting more and more, and she didn't know where to go from here.

They reached a Goddess statue an hour or so after it became dark. Angela knew they were drawing close, but they planned to wait for Luna's day, so they called a dinner break. The bond with the Elementals spirits kept her updated as the time drew ever closer to midnight, and she paced back and forth before the pointless activity began to grate on her nerves even more than the problem at hand, and she plopped herself cross-legged on the ground, chin balanced in her hands.

Duran came to sit next to her, worried looks creasing his brow. She knew he could tell she wasn't being herself, but she wasn't ready to tell him what was on her mind, she could barely think through the questions, much less the answers. He settled for putting an hand on her shoulder. She remained quiet, but did not move away.

They stared into the fire in silence.

--

Carlie had fallen asleep. Lise was laughing with Kevin and Hawk, when Angela abruptly stood up. "It's time," she announced. She had been holding herself separate, waiting for the turn of the day, for hours now.

Lise stood gravely, spear at the ready. Kevin rose beside her. Jokes and laughter aside, they were in this forest for a reason. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hawk gently shaking Carlie awake.

"Morning already?" yawned the girl.

"No, but we're going to need your help, we're going to the God-Beast now." For once Hawk did not joke with the girl; his tone was as deathly serious as it might have been with anyone of the adults.

The girl seemed to sense the mood. Young as she was, she was capable of the worry of an adult when the situation called for it. "Carlie's ready," she announced gravely.

No further words were needed. Angela's somber mood seemed to spread to the rest of the group as she led them out of the clearing.

--

Kevin had already transformed into his wolf form. The others just walked with weapons at the ready. Something about this forest had started to fill them with anticipation - or dread.

They didn't have long to wait.

Angela had only been getting more agitated; not temperamental as she often was, but instead she seemed positively afraid as she stopped dead in the middle of a patch of grass. "Something's here!" she cried.

All stopped, and the dead silence of night settled in around them. A slight breeze ruffled the grass.

Angela had her hands to her head as if she was about to tear her hair out.

It made Lise feel bad to even question her. "Angela, are you sure -"

She never got further than that, as the ground began to tremble underneath them. Not the earthquake spell of Land Umber, but as if something beneath was begging to be released.

"Something's coming out of the ground!" yelled Kevin.

--

"Something's coming out of the ground!" Even as Kevin called out to his friends, his voice harsher and deeper in his wolf-form, he was already running towards Mispolm.

They were all firmly convinced that this God-Beast was resistant to magic, but he felt a pleasurable warmth in his muscles as Lise began casting her own particular brand of magic over him. They might not be able to use magic against the God-Beast, but they could still use it on themselves, and Kevin wasn't afraid to take any advantage he could get.

The tangle of vines that had emerged terminated in a large pumpkin-head, bearing an evil grin on its face. To either side, thick coils of vines emerged, capped with nasty, vegetative snapping faces. One dove for him, and without thinking, Kevin slammed it with both his fists, one after another.

The vine crumpled beneath him, but another grew up to take its place, as if the attack had never happened. Wolf-Kevin howled in anger. Well, whatever worked before, would work again. He readied for another punch.

--

Angela had been warned that Mispolm would probably be able to reflect magic, but she had to make sure. She cast the weakest holy ball spell she could manage. As it bounced back against her, it barely bruised her arm. Well, that answered that.

She had expected the reflection, but not the retaliation. The head of Mispolm seemed to contract for a moment, and fly towards her. She glimpsed the creature in the background. A projectile attack. It hit the ground in front of her, and her arms instinctively flew up to cover her face.

She felt no pain in her body, she seemed unhurt, but suddenly had the worst headache of her life. She tried to form a spell, but it kept slipping away from her; she hadn't had this much trouble since just after the attack on Dangaard.

But she wouldn't give up yet. Seeing Duran slash at the pumpkin, it wincing under his sword blows, gave her an idea.

She had almost forgotten her weapon, her staff, as she discovering the increasing power of her magic, but now she forced herself to feed whatever slivers of magic power she could focus through it. Walking up to the monster was no problem; its attack hadn't touched her physical strength. As she joined Duran's right, she swung her cane in front of her, releasing the magical energy just at the moment of contact. Mispolm winced from her staff blow just as much as from Duran's sword, and it made her feel much better.

--

Lise had been focused on increasing the raw strength of her party, until she saw that odd vegetable bomb explode. Angela's hands flew immediately to her head, and it clicked for her immediately. The thing could attack their magic power as well.

But she had some perfectly good magic defense up her sleeve for whatever magic attacks Mispolm could throw against them. She felt bad she hadn't thought of it sooner.

Running to catch Angela - she still found herself unable to cast her spells without direct physical contact - she saw Angela hit the beast with her staff. Even without being able to sense the flows of Mana, she could have told that Angela was pouring her last possible magic energy through her weapon. The woman always pushed her limits.

Lise would not her collapse, though. Just as the attack hit its target, the Valkyrie poured the magic of Undine into the Oracle. Angela turned, with a mischievous grin much more like the woman she knew. "Thanks for the headache medicine, Lise."

"You're welcome!" Lise called behind her, already focusing the spell for Duran beside her.

--

Duran slashed at the vines, now with Lise's spells tearing through both his body and his mind. It seemed for every two he cut, one sprang up; but still he was making slow progress.

He felt relieved to have picked up his armor again; he was the only one not sprouting cuts and gashes all over from the biting vines squirming at the side. He and Kevin were both taking them down as fast as they could, but still they kept coming.

He called to Kevin. "We're being distracted! We have to attack the main head!"

Kevin called back. "You, cut the vines! I attack head!"

It was a good plan; his sword did work more efficiently against the vines, and Kevin's punches would injure the monster's core without getting stuck in its soft flash. He prepared to cover Kevin as the beastman retreated from the snaky vegetation attacking him, preparing to grapple with the core of Mispolm.

--

Mispolm was able to sense spells being cast; that was easy enough for Lise to figure out. Neither was it surprising when, as she ran to boost one friend after another, another one of those pumpkin-like projectiles came hurtling towards her.

What she wasn't prepared for was the speed; she had no time to brace before it knocked her flat on the ground.

Dazed, she looked up at the sky. Slowly taking stock of herself, she realized she had no physical injuries, but the way her head hurt, there would be no more of her spells in this battle. Fortunately, she had reached everyone except herself and Carlie.

Almost as Lise thought her name, the little girl was above her. Carlie had stayed back, healing the injuries left by the vicious side vines almost as soon as they appeared. Now, though, the girl seemed concerned.

"Your head hurts?" She kept trying her healing spells, over and over, until Lise finally had to take the girl's hand gently.

"Stop, Carlie," she said kindly. "You can't help me anymore right now. Just do what you were doing before."

The girl looked afraid, but Lise stepped to her feet to show she was alright. She readied her spear to join the men in the fight.

--

Mispolm's resistance to magic, and the brutal efficiency with which Duran and Kevin were tearing the glorified vegetable apart, were making Hawk feel somewhat extraneous. Even Lise got a few swipes in at the side, while Angela's staff attacks were making the pumpkin squirm. But for the life of him, he couldn't get his knives anywhere past those writing, thorned vines.

Hawk stepped back for a second to contemplate. He followed the vine-ridden body of Mispolm down to the ground. It had come out of the soil, hadn't it? It must have roots someplace. He crept stealthily to the back of the thing, it not seeming to notice him as the rest of the party attacked from the front. Throwing himself to the ground and crawling along, he was able to get close enough that he could have thrust his hand into the central tangle of vines, had he wanted to.

That was how he saw new black vines emerging from the core, snaking along the ground, almost invisible against the damp soil. "Look _down_!" he shouted back to his friends, as his dual knives rapidly sliced, making short work of the thorns creeping towards him.

Behind the beast as he was, he could not reach all the thorns, but settled for slashing whatever he could before they grew further, and hoping his friends were able to do the same.

--

Duran heard Hawk's shout, just as the black thorns wrapped around his unarmored ankle.

He slashed at the vine, cutting it off, but he had already felt the cut of the thorns into his unprotected calf. A feverish tingle shivered through his body. "The thorns are _poisoned_!" he yelled, hoping his friend would hear him before anyone else was affected by the killing sting. He felt himself begin to tremble violently, and desperately cast healing magic on himself.

The trembles diminished, but came back quickly. He repeated the spell, realizing he was not attacking the cause, but if he stopped casting, the venom would quickly overtake his body. "C- Carlie!" he called, his shout ending in a hoarse wheeze. The Priestess was his only hope. His vision blurred, he could not focus on a thought.

Flickers of images. His father, his mother. His sister, crying, his aunt. Being welcomed by King Richard to the castle. Angela next to him in the hills above Forcena. Winds rushing past his ear on the back of Flammie. The silent night of the Moonlight Forest. The heat of the blazing wall rushing past him. The chill of the snowfields. The cold water of the Bucca ocean, spilling over him.

He sat up, instinctively gasping for breath. The pain was gone, but cold moisture covered his exposed skin.

Carlie knelt next to him. He remembered now, the cooling rain she had used on him before. "Your spell won't fix poison," she announced crossly.

Maybe not, but hers would. And for that, he was thankful. He would live to see the next day, the next God-Beast, the next look in Angela's eyes.

Speaking of, the violet-haired Altenan strode over to him. That next look was strangely angry. "What happened?" she demanded.

"The vine hurt Duran, but Carlie fixed him good," the Priestess told the Oracle. Apparently, Angela had missed the whole episode. Concern flitted across her face for a moment, but the scowl quickly replaced it. Was Angela _trying _to be angry?

She said nothing, but extended a hand to help Duran to his feet. He would worry about it later. Right now, they had a God-Beast to defeat.

--

Kevin's focus splintered, as Duran fell to the thorny vine, but as he saw Carlie running, he knew that problem was taken care of. It was necessary, in battle, to not trouble oneself with unnecessary worry. Every stray thought was an opening for the enemy to attack.

Hawk seemed to have caught many of the poisoned vines, and the major roots as well. The main head seemed somehow more lackluster than before. Duran was knocked out for the moment, but Lise had stepped in his place, keeping the vines at bay if not cleaving them as efficiently.

He heard his voice call, "Lise! Clear the path for me!", but his fists and feet had minds of their own, it seemed, as they swung one after another. He felt his arms smash into the pumpkin-head, but he was almost powerless to stop them.

He was no longer hitting the tough outer shell, but over and over, his fists were meeting the soft resistance of the inner flesh. The side vines were the only offensive power; the head itself had no capabilities of motion. He battered the thing in a flurry of punches. "Water-Moon Slice", his father had called it, with the poetic names the beastmen assigned, perhaps to cover the deadliness of their attacks.

A touch on his back caused him to wheel around, and he barely restrained his blows in time to recognize Lise, standing before him. "It's over, Kevin," she said. "It's dead."

Now that she had stopped his frenzy, he was able to turn back around, and see that nothing remained but a pile of gooey pumpkin flesh. If that was not enough, it started to dissolve before his eyes, proof enough that the chaotic energy had been contained.

He felt scared. He had lost himself in that frenzied attack, just as when he fought Karl. This was his beast heritage that he feared. Even if it had saved his friends.

His friends. "Duran?" he asked.

Lise did not need to answer, he followed her eyes to where Angela was helping Duran to his feet. Kevin felt relieved, Carlie's spells had done their work. The couple approached Kevin, who had meanwhile been silently joined by Hawk. "Guess I missed out on the rest of the battle," Duran said ruefully.

"No matter," Kevin told him, "You helped just as much as me." Duran seemed to straighten a bit; much like a Beastman, Duran was troubled when he doubted his strength. A true warrior, Kevin thought with a hint of admiration.

It was still early morning; the moon had barely moved.

"Only one left," Hawk said, "and we can attack tomorrow, on Salamando's day, or wait another week."

None wanted to delay any longer. They all knew the plan by now, they all knew their next destination.

Altena.


	36. Labyrinth

**36. LABYRINTH (ANGELA)**

They hadn't lingered long in Altena after the encounter with Koren, and this stop promised to be short as well.

But the success of their last stop, at least in the view of the citizens - Angela doubted they knew the full story - meant that the palace servants reacted joyfully at her arrival, even if it meant waking up in the middle of the night to tend to the needs of her and her friends. Over and over, she heard cries of "Angela! The Princess!" and "Our savior! She's returned!"

Inwardly, Angela cringed. It was quite stressful to maintain this aura of competence. She was beginning to understand what Lise had handled for years, and why it was so difficult for her friend to let go.

They were quickly escorted to rooms, but most seemed too wound up to sleep. Carlie curled up on a chair, and Hawk seemed as if he would enjoy some rest, but instead reclined on a sofa to wrap his arms around an agitated Lise. Kevin looked as if he could stay awake for another week.

"Beastmen do not allow bodily weakness," was the explanation he gave, when Duran remarked on it.

Even after Angela sent for wine, the group showed no sign of dispersing. "At the rate we're going, perhaps we will be waking up at night to confront the next God-Beast," suggested Hawk.

"It's more than that. There's a huge labyrinth of ice walls behind the Stone we visited. I can't imagine the God-Beast will be waiting for us, so we will probably have to look for it," replied Angela.

"Is that it? Is that what is bothering us all? The final God-Beast is up ahead?" Lise asked. "And if it is benefiting from the death of the others, it will be the hardest yet."

"Not the last, we haven't found the Stone of Darkness," mourned the Fairy, sitting atop the wine decanter.

"I haven't used my magic nearly at all in a week, and my fire spells are strong," Angela added, trying to convince herself as much as anyone else. "We'll be fine." Lise still looked uncertain, but Hawk sat up to caress her shoulder, and she seemed to calm.

Nevertheless, Lise had made a point. The final God-Beast. They didn't know what would happen next, and that was perhaps more upsetting than the fight itself.

Conversation turned to more casual topics, and morning rose. Lise woke up the sleepy Carlie as dawn broke, so they could all greet the day together. From Valda's balcony, high in the Altena palace, they watched the morning sun break over the kingdom, the snowy landscape magnifying the first rays into a million colors.

No matter what happened, they would always remember this moment.

--

She and Duran continued to share a bed, but it had been cold, as cold as the Altenan weather that raged outside the windows of her mother's chamber. A classic summer snowstorm.

As Duran slept soundly, Angela tossed and turned. Was it being back in Altena that made her so nervous, or the thought of facing the last God-Beast? What would happen then? The Fairy in her head gave her no answers. At least the tiny being was being quiet.

She threw her head back against the pillows, hard. Staring at the ceiling, she still could find no answers.

She flinched suddenly as an arm snaked across her protectively. It had been a while. She turned to her left to see Duran's blue eyes, now very much awake, staring back into her own dark grey. He did not remove his arm.

She let her gaze flicker away, but when it returned, those blue eyes were there, with the same intensity as before. Embarrassment crept in, under that deep gaze.

"What are we doing?" she asked softly.

"I'm trying to keep you safe," he responded, a bit gruffly. "You, I don't know what you're trying to do."

She was starting to understand. She responded carefully. "It's wonderfully heroic of you to want to protect me -" she knew what he needed to hear, even if it felt terribly cheesy to say it - "but you can't do so all the time. I think there will come a time where you will just have to let me take a risk."

He did not respond, but pulled her tighter.

She resisted slightly. "And what about _you_? I see you running in, all brave all the time, like you can't be defeated. You may be physically strong, but you know magic now, you can use it yourself, and you know it can hurt you. Not even magic, that was ordinary plant venom that stung you last time, monster or not. You put yourself in danger all the time, and I just have to watch, so I don't humiliate you by being afraid that you can be defeated." Somewhere in that tirade, she had sat bolt upright, and Duran had propped up on his elbow. She heard the heat in her voice, she heard the words she said, but she felt powerless to stop it all from coming out.

Duran looked up at her for a long time. She finally had to turn away from that blue-eyed gaze, but when she looked back, there it was still, again, as before. He wouldn't let her get away. She forced her eyes to meet his.

He spoke, haltingly.

"I don't know how to do less. I'll worry you if I keep doing what I've been doing, but I can't risk anything happening to you if I don't. I couldn't stand it… That's just who I am," he finished.

"As am I," she replied. Now, as their eyes held, there was a familiar warmth in the gaze.

His hand reached to cup her waist. It slid up to her shoulder, pushing her down flat against the bed, and she looked up at him, propped on his elbow above her. He caressed her hair, stroking it, twirling a curl, spreading it against the pillow. He had admitted once that the novelty of her violet hair was one of the things he had first been attracted to.

"We're not just talking about battles anymore, are we?" he asked her, in a surprising moment of absolute emotional clarity.

"No," she whispered back, almost more to herself than him. "We do a great job fighting each other every step of the way."

She sensed the next move was hers. Pulling herself onto hands and knees, she pushed him flat against the bed as she just had been. His hands went to her waist, and she moved over him.

She leaned down and kissed him gently, once, twice. Gradually, she began to kiss him more deeply. Her teasing kisses had their effect, and he pulled her down on top of him, his left arm still holding her waist tightly as his right arm caressed her back up and down.

Angela leaned down, her face close to Duran's. "I love you," she whispered gently in his ear, a twinge of guilt striking her as she realized she had only said it to him once before. And he had never given her a hard time over it. Goddess, how did he put up with her?

Perhaps it didn't matter, she realized, as his kisses drove all thought away. It was a long time before she finally let him have her, his strong arms surrounding her to pull her ever closer.

--

Sleeping through the day found them traveling at night over the snowfields. The dragon's altitude was not nearly as terrifying in the dark, as Angela couldn't see how high they were, though the air whistling past them was enough to keep a knot in the pit of her stomach.

Flammie landed just outside the cave where the Stone had been, and as she entered, Angela's magic senses felt flustered. Perhaps it was the thick ice walls between them and the God-Beast, but she could not get more than a vague direction, and the way the caverns zigged and zagged, the route would not be straight in any case.

"Then we'll just have to search the old-fashioned way," Duran said.

"But if it's a labyrinth... how will we not get lost?" Lise wondered.

Angela had puzzled over the same problem, but not reached any solutions. Fortunately, the thief in their midst had an idea or two. "Simple. There's one surefire way to get through any maze. Pick a wall, and follow it all the way through." Hawk drove a dagger a small distance into the ice on the wall to illustrate, scratching a groove. "And if we screw it up, the scratches will tell us if we recross our path."

Angela sort of understood what he was talking about, and Hawk's way was better than anything she had come with. It seemed to be working, as they traversed the maze that was rumored to have a hundred caverns. There sure seemed to be that many.

In the twisted pathways of the labyrinth, feeling the God-Beast close did not necessarily mean they were approaching it, so Angela had begun to discount her magical senses.

That was why she had no warning when the God-Beast crashed down onto the ice ahead of them, with a roar that echoed over and over through the icy passages. Whether it had been lying in wait, or hunting them down, they would never know, but there was no time to prepare. Angela ran out of the attack range of the beast, just as Duran came running in to slash at Fiegmund, the ice-dragon, the God-Beast of Ice.

She felt a cold wind slicing through the cavern, chilling her to the bone. Without Lise's magic, she felt the full brunt of the spell. Her legs gave way and she dropped to her knees. Her whole body seemed unable to move.

Lise was by her side a moment later, but as she touched Angela's shoulder, her hand flinched back. "You're cold as ice, Angela!"

Angela tried to respond, but no sound came out. It was harder and harder for her to move her body. So... cold... like when she collapsed in the snow, fleeing Altena...

--

"Carlie!" Lise yelled. "Angela needs you, right away!"

The little girl ran over. Even as Carlie repaired the effects of the freezing spell, Lise knew Angela was going to need a heavy jolt of healing energy. Her entire body was turning blue even as Lise shouted.

"It's got Kevin too!" Hawk yelled. Lise turned to see the beastman pausing in mid-stride. She knew if she touched him, he would have the chill of death, too.

"If we're all frozen by Fiegmund's magic, we won't stand a chance!"

Hawk returned Lise's panicked look confidently. "I can weaken Fiegmund's magic quickly."

"Do it!" called Lise. Her organizational instincts had already taken over, as she gauged the state of her party. Duran was the only one left in place to handle any physical attacks, and she fervently hoped that he would be able to stave off the beast long enough for them to curtail its magic. Otherwise, they'd never be able to get off the defensive. The Knight understood this instinctively, and stood courageously against the slick-skinned blue dragon, who recoiled against the irritating creature in its path.

Carlie fed healing magic into Angela, and the mage's face slowly returned to its ordinary porcelain tone. With Angela out of danger, Lise found herself a thousand places at once, pouring her own magic into the others to get everyone fighting back. Hawk sliced the enemy with his ninja spells, the God-Beast roaring in pain as fire cut into it. Duran's aggressive sword swings kept the monster in check, as its every advance forward was greeted with a painful-looking cut of sharp metal.

Turning back, she saw Angela pulling herself to her feet, looking strangely at her hand. "I couldn't move my fingers a moment ago," she told Lise, right before Lise's spell enveloped her.

"You're fine now, Angela, get those fireballs ready!"

--

Kevin barely knew what happened. The icy blast had caught him in mid-stride, slowing him down, then suddenly Carlie was there and he could move again. Shoving off the worry – whatever it was, it was gone now - he was about to join Duran, but as he lurched forward, Carlie caught him by the arm. He looked down at her.

"One more spell for Kevin," she said, her blue eyes wide, and placed her tiny hands over his big ones. Her spell first sunk into his metal knuckles, the metal pleasantly warm to the touch after the coldness of the ice caverns, then, it seemed, into his body itself, as he saw his hands begin to glow slightly red.

The power invigorated him, and left him raring to fight. Nodding thanks to the girl, he ran unswervingly towards the God-Beast.

--

Duran was doing a surprisingly good job backing the God-Beast into a corner, considering it toward over him at three times his height. He grinned, a bit maliciously. Attack his friends, would it? Its attention now consumed by the human slashing at its legs and chest, it hadn't been able to let loose another ice spell.

He only realized he had been overconfident as one of the giant claws came slashing towards him. It could not cut through his armor, but the force sent him stumbling against the wall. He stumbled onto his feet, quickly, his sword already in a defensive position for the next swipe, but Fiegmund had instead taken advantage of the opening to cast another ice spell, fully at Duran.

Duran felt only a slight chill, but as it dissipated, he flexed his hand experimentally. No change. Lise's spell had done its work. The God-Beast paused, looking slightly… confused. Presumably it had enough intelligence to understand its spell had failed.

It changed tactics quickly enough. The anticipated swipe came once again. Duran blocked with his shield, but missed his counterstroke as the force knocked him backwards.

"Hawk, take the power down on this thing!" Duran roared in frustration.

"I can't!" replied the other man. "It's a water spell, it won't do a thing against the God-Beast of Ice!"

Well, he wasn't sure what to do next, but it looked like they were stuck doing this the traditional way. He was about to push himself up, but instead Kevin jerked him roughly to his feet. "Go, get sword magic from Carlie," the beastman growled. "No chance otherwise."

Duran looked backwards towards the priestess, forward towards the hulking beast, and made a quick decision. He felt cowardly fleeing from a fight for even a moment, Duran knew the beastman was right.

Lise was shaking off the effects of that second freeze spell, and Carlie had moved on to feeding fire magic into her spear. Lise tensed her grip on her weapon, ready to dive into the battle, as Duran ran up to the two of them, armor clanking. "Can I have some of that too, Carlie?"

--

Kevin's punches sizzled whenever they hit cold reptilian skin, leaving charred black marks as the thing emitted sounds of pain. Whatever Carlie had done, it was working. Lise joined his right, and Duran appeared shortly after to attack Fiegmund's opposite side, their weapons sizzling into Fiegmund's hide as easily. They had the beast surrounded, and together, they were beginning to deal major damage.

"Fireball!" Angela shouted. It was not necessary to call out her spells; but she did so to warn the party, fire being the least controllable of Angela's spells. Something to do with being an Oracle, she had said. At her shout, they splintered away from their adversary just before the orb of flame smashed squarely into the beast's chest, leaving an enormous, charred black scar behind.

Fiegmund seemed to be weakening. It turned towards the wall. _What was it doing?_ the beastman wondered. _Where could it run? _Kevin got his answer as it began to climb up the wall, claws digging sharply into the ice as it pulled upwards. A few pulls, and it was out of reach of their weapons. They could only stand there, goggle-eyed, as Fiegmund climbed the wall and onto the ceiling, hanging ominously above them. _Now what?_

--

Only one person could damage the God-Beast, suspended above them as it were, and Angela did not hesitate. "Fireball!" she yelled out of habit, even if her friends were out of range. The spell hit Fiegmund in the neck, though at a distance it collided with somewhat less power. Nevertheless, the irritated beast shook its head back and forth slightly, growling in pain.

Bracing for a magical counterattack, Angela was surprised when it extracted one huge clawed hand from the icy ceiling, slamming it back against the ice with a force that shook the cavern. The giant icicles that had been serenely hanging from the ceiling began to crash down. It reminded her of the Jewel Eater, so long ago, crashing rocks downward. Only, these did not roll down off the walls, they were falling everywhere around them.

There was barely time to think. Her mind vaguely registered Duran pulling Carlie to him, holding the shield over both their heads. Suddenly something hit her, and she went skidding across the ice with a weight on top of her.

Not an icicle, though. She looked up into Hawk's grinning face. "I was going for shelter, thought you might want to come along for the ride." He'd slid them both into a small protected alcove, and she flinched as a gigantic icicle crashed merely a couple feet in front of the opening. From their safe vantage point, she saw a chunk of ice fall directly towards Kevin. She was about to scream, but with a strength she had not believed possible, he swung at the icicle, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

--

Lise had been stuck in the middle of the cavern; there was nowhere she could reach safely. She curled her head to her chest, crossing her arms overhead, although she knew she could not protect herself from those giant blocks of ice; they would hurt like stone, striking her body, and she braced herself for the imminent pain, praying only that she would not be hurt beyond what Carlie could heal.

She felt the floor shake as giant icicles crashed to the floor with a deafening roar, and for a long moment that sound filled her head, until as abruptly as it had begun, the noise ceased. Carefully, she lowered her arms and lifted her head to find that somehow, they had all missed her.

Puzzled, she looked directly above, to see Fiegmund dangling right above her. Of course. It wouldn't shake itself loose, and had provided her with an involuntarily shield. Hawk ran to her, with Angela right behind, but he stopped with an expression of relief, seeing she was unhurt.

"Nice try, but better not pull that again, Angela!" Hawk told her.

Angela looked up at the beast still suspended above them. "I think I have a better idea. Everyone against the wall!" Lise did not question her. When Angela got that look on her face, she knew what she was doing.

--

Angela pulled back a few steps, looking up to check her position even as she felt the spell build. She didn't have much precision with the fireball, but she would have to try.

She released, splintering the spell four ways, watching in satisfaction as three of the fireballs hit the ice Fiegmund's claws were embedded in. It was enough. For a split second, the God-Beast swung wildly from the ceiling, its left rear foot holding it on, before the creature's weight broke through the ice and it came crashing to the floor, upside down.

Its legs flailed wildly, seemingly unable to right itself. Angela was prepared for the ice spell it sent at her, sensing where the fireballs came from. She met the ice with a fireball, and suddenly was drenched in icy cold water. She shivered, but she was only cold, not hurt.

Duran was running, but Hawk was already there. Placing one hand on Fiegmund's neck, he vaulted between the waving legs onto its soft belly, driving both his red-hot knives into the creature's heart. With a final squeal, Fiegmund flailed wildly in its death throes; anyone but Hawk would have been hurled off, but somehow the ninja held his balance, suddenly dropping to the floor as the God-Beast dissolved into nothingness.

--

It was done. They had killed the last known God-Beast.

The battle was tragically anticlimactic. If they hadn't been surprised, this one might have posed no challenge at all. And this should have been the strongest one, if it gained the power of the others. Perhaps they had all increased in strength even more than they knew. Angela stood in the now-silent labyrinth, staring at the walls in contemplation.

"Now what?" she demanded of herself. One stone unfound, the Sword still in Koren's hands, and Koren himself needing to be burnt to a crisp. _What first?_ might be a better question. She did not know how to find any of them.

Think, Angela, she told herself. Revenge for Koren aside, what you really need is the Sword. But with one God-Beast still out there, it probably should be cleared out of the way before they pursued the wizard. Otherwise, the possibility of facing the Dark Beast at an inopportune time still loomed; and it would have absorbed the strength of the seven they had just spent so much time defeating.

Lise tapped her on the shoulder quizzically. "Angela?"

"Oh," Angela said, startled. "I was just… thinking about a couple things." She sketched out her general conclusion.

"I was thinking along the same lines myself," Hawk said, when she relayed her concerns. "We're going to have to find that damn Dark Stone sooner or later."

"But the Dark Stone is missing... who would know how to find it?" Lise wondered.

"Pedan," squeaked Carlie.

"What?" asked Angela.

"It's an old city, in the jungle... it's hidden by magic. They know lots of things no one else does. Not everyone can find it, but Heath once told me how," she announced proudly.

"Fairy, what do you know about this?" Duran inquired in Angela's general direction.

The tiny being emerged momentarily. "Pedan... that just might work." The Fairy looked thoughtful. "It's not really a city at all, it's an illusion of a city. The real city was destroyed by the Dragon Emperor not long ago, but it was a powerful center of magic, and spells woven by its leaders allow it to reappear in the timestream. It was said the magic in use there could change things in the fourth dimension, Time itself."

"Um… okay, then. But that means we can get there, right?" Duran asked. The Fairy nodded.

"Center of magic? Why haven't I heard of it?" Angela demanded.

Surprisingly - or perhaps not - it was Lise who had the answer. "There's not a lot of information out there. It seems most believed it was just a legend, but I did once read a book by a traveler who had claimed to have been there. Apparently they encouraged the rumor that Pedan did not, in fact exist, and the magic was so powerful as to conceal it to the outside world."

"Wait, I think I _have_ heard something about that," added Duran. "King Richard one mentioned he had been there. Maybe we could swing by and get some directions from him?"

"Well, if the magic there is that powerful, that's reason enough for us to go there," Angela decided.

--

Having just fought two God-Beasts back to back, no one objected to a couple days in Altena.

Besides, Angela felt obligated to inform her mother's advisors of the situation. She hadn't told them much before, but by now, their own magical senses could tell that something was wrong with Mana. Now that the God-Beast of Ice was finished, she thought she could meet them more effectively with good news.

And so it was, two days later, that she faced a panel of eight Archmages, six women, two men, trying to fake the sort of regal presence that she always associated with her mother. Lise stayed with her - the prestige of the Queen of Rolante seemed to awe them - and Duran refused to be left out. The others, presumably, were doing something much more enjoyable. Like sticking hot needles into their eyes.

She briefly sketched out what had happened in the Labyrinth of Ice Walls, and somber looks crossed the faces of each and every one of the mages. Past the general mood they expressed, there was little trace of emotion, neither approval nor condemnation for the actions of their princess.

"But now," she announced in her best temporary-Queen voice, "I must continue the quest my companions and I have begun, before Mana disappears completely."

Deathly silence. The moments dragged by. Angela tried not to squirm.

"Fire Princess," one woman intoned out of the blue. She stood, and bowed reverently.

The others picked up the chant. "Queen of Fire! Ruler of Flames!"

Angela wasn't exactly sure what they meant by that… Ice Princess was an old slang term, the common form of the title Princess of Reason. But Fire Princess... ?

Well, as cold as it was getting, Altena could do with a bit of fire.


	37. The Testing Ground

**37. THE TESTING GROUND (DURAN)**

Flying to Forcena, they arrived in time to dine with the King. Richard listened to their news with rapt attentiveness, and a wide streak of concern.

"And next... The God-Beast of Darkness..." As they finished the tale, Lise brought up what was on all their minds.

"If we're lucky," Duran said.

"I wouldn't really call that lucky," Hawk responded.

"But we're not ready yet," piped up Carlie.

They all turned to look at her. If even the young girl could piece that together...

"It's true," Angela added. She confessed the next sentence reluctantly. "I think I've reached the limits of my power..."

"We defeated Fiegmund easily, but only because Angela used fire magic so effectively," Duran assessed. "I think we all can tell that the God-Beasts have been getting stronger, and we don't really have a great attack prepared for the Beast of Darkness."

"Yeah, are we going to heal it to death? That's most of what Lumina has taught us," quipped Hawk.

"Why haven't you done your final class change yet?" inquired Richard.

A long silence.

It fell to Duran to respond to his sovereign. "Your Majesty, I thought it had to wait until we were older. Angela's the oldest here, she's only nineteen... you and my father were several years older..."

"And there's no Mana Stones anymore," added Lise. Oh, yeah, that too.

"It's not by age, it's by strength," Richard interrupted. "But even without the stones... surely the chosen of the Goddess might have a way... Princess of Reason –" he returned to formality, addressing a fellow royal - "may I speak with this fairy?"

A mental poke from Angela, and the Fairy appeared, with a small midair curtsy.

"Fairy," Richard began. "Is there a way by which this group may reach the second change?"

The Fairy paused. "They could, if we return to the statue in the Holyland."

"The statue..." Lise breathed reverently.

"Fairy, why didn't you suggest this sooner! Angela almost died, hitting the limits of her magic power in the fight with Dangaard," Duran blurted angrily.

"And they all would have been much easier." Kevin didn't sound angry, but then again, his temper was much colder.

"Carlie wants to talk to the Goddess again."

Angela finished. "We're already all stronger with only the first Gift of Mana, than anyone else with two." Even as she said it, she wondered if she was right; was she really stronger than her mother? Perhaps she was, at that. "Why didn't you bring this up before?"

The Fairy bore their angry tirade, expressionless, but as the voices faded, she held up one tiny hand. "As Richard says, it is based on strength, not age. But you have hit the truth, Angela. You are all very strong, and had I suggested it earlier, none of you would have taken no for an answer.

"But," she continued, "it is not your strength compared with others, but the potential of the individual themselves. You must master the strengths of the first Gift before you can be allowed to proceed to the second. This is because you can go no further after the change; even if you had survived it, weeks ago, your final change would not have achieved its full potential. Since the potential in all of you was so great, it took much greater trials for this to be achieved.

"And thus the Goddess forbade me to speak of it, until I was sure you all were ready... though it seems Richard has beat me to it."

They were somewhat speechless. Angela saw her own look of wonder reflected in her friends' faces. The Goddess herself was taking a hand in their fates?

Richard only nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is time, Fairy."

"Perhaps it is, at that. If you are willing," the Fairy said, addressing the assembled party, "we will go to the Holyland tomorrow."

--

There was a knock on Duran's door, too heavy to be Angela's, and he wondered who it could be at this time of night. He bowed deeply as he opened the door to find the King of Forcena.

"Duran, I hope it's not too late."

"Never for you, Your Maj-" Duran began.

"Oh, stop it, Duran. I wouldn't open the door for _myself _if I had a beautiful woman here."

Duran felt himself blush at the King's frankness. He thought they had been properly discreet under the palace roof. Richard continued, "At least the girl has chosen a good man. I might have to have a talk with her otherwise." Duran was puzzled. Why did Richard care? "Anyway, before she gets here, I brought something for you." The King opened his hands to reveal a silver medallion on a chain of bronzed beads. Not metal, though; some sort of gemstone. "As we discussed last time you were here, I have been saving something for you, when I felt you were ready. I think now is that time."

"What is it, my Lord?"

"My Lord. How appropriate," Richard chuckled. "It's the Lord's Medallion. And now it's yours."

Richard pulled Duran's hand to him, and placed the medallion in his fist. Duran didn't know whether to put it on or hide it in a pocket. "What should I do with this, Sire?"

"Nothing. Just keep it, for now." Richard's mysterious expression turned to amusement. "And take care of your young lady."

--

No one had much to say as they repeated their flight through the gate to the Holyland. Landing, they discovered the places was eerily empty, lacking the rabite infestation they had seen last time, and Hawk morbidly wondered who had cleaned up the corpses.

"There's no monsters, because there's nothing to defend against," the Fairy explained, dejected. "The Sword is gone."

Nothing to defend against, and no reason to maintain the place, either. The aura of joyful life that had permeated the Holyland seemed dulled, the vivid colors now subdued, and the ruined buildings more destroyed that ever. It wasn't doing much to raise anyone's spirits, but fortunately, it was only a short while before they entered the clearing where the ethereal Goddess statue stood, emitting its light calmly as it had before. After the destruction of the Mana Stones, it was oddly reassuring to see that this, at least, remained untouched.

"Before you attempt the final class change," the Fairy told them, "You must be truly sure you are ready for it..."

"Didn't you already tell us that, the first time?" Duran asked.

"Yes... but this time even more so. In the first change, if you are not ready, you will fail. But if you are not ready for the final change... you will die." She paused to let that sink in. "And… I don't want to lose any of you," she added.

That explained a few things. Angela thought she knew what happened to some of those Oracles who never came back. Sorceresses were almost always successful, but the chaotic power she followed now could take you over when you least expect it. A time or two, she felt like it had. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

The group looked at each other nervously. What if one of them should fail? This would be the last time they would see that person alive...

"Is there anyone who does not feel ready?"

Angela saw fear change to grim resolve on everyone's face. Except Carlie, who only bounced up and down in excitement. "I'm ready, let's go!" she shouted, as if it was all a game, and that worried the wizard. Could the little girl survive? She had proven to be surprisingly resilient, but _this_? Angela hated to think what would happen if a child was their only casualty.

You put her in danger, all of you, when you allowed her to come with you, Angela reminded herself. She might be in more danger if she continues without the added strength she came here to get... That was why they were all here, after all. Without increasing their powers, they would suffer sure defeat.

"Is this going to work the same way as the last time, Fairy? And will we be able to see into each other's, like Undine did for us?" Lise wondered.

"Lise, all I can tell you is that the final Gift is only discussed about among those who had undergone it. Knowing more beforehand might taint the choice. You might think you know what you will choose, but you will not know for certain until the moment of. For the same reason, you must be blind to everything that happens to your friends."

"But as soon as the first person finishes, we'll know from their demeanor some of what they have experienced," Hawk objected. "If this is for our own protection, you will have to keep us separated somehow."

"You are correct, Hawk, if we were using a Mana Stone, I would. But the Mana Stones are gone, so we find ourselves at the focus of the Goddess's power. With this much power in one place... you will all be able to receive the Gift at the same time, and return together."

Duran looked at the statue somewhat dubiously. "Well, I guess it's now or never," he said.

They arranged themselves around the statue of the Goddess, looking at one another as they stretched hands out towards the statue. Light filled Angela's vision, and the figures of her friends faded away as it consumed everything...

--

The figure before her was not the hazy image she had seen in the Holyland. Long golden hair framed an innocent face with big emerald eyes, seemingly as real as she herself was, but at the same time she knew this was not another human being in front of her.

"You _do_ look like Lise," Angela blurted without thinking. Then, suddenly abashed, she thought maybe that was not the best way to greet the Goddess.

The woman laughed, a high, silvery laugh so like her best friend's. "Only because you expect me to. Those statues were copied from an Amazon, though, one of the few Vanadis."

"Oh."

Angela paused for a moment, but when the Goddess said no more, she got impatient. "So why are you here, anyway?" 

"I'm surprised you, of all my heroes, did not figure it out. I will lead you myself to receive my Gift."

No wonder it was not discussed. She could see hundreds of zealots, desperately trying to class change for their chance to meet the Goddess, and dying because they were not strong enough to endure the intensity of the change.

"Look down in your arms," the Goddess instructed her.

She hadn't remembered holding the book when she came here, but there, in her arms it was. The Forbidden Book. It had been mere chance she had it with her when they decided to return to the Holyland - she had found it in her mother's nightstand in Altena, and decided to take the tiny volume with her.

She could not read the pages - they were not written in Mana Tongue, but some ancient script she had never seen - but she didn't have to _read _it. Touching the pages, the script began to glow as red as blood, and she could _feel _the book teaching her, just as the Elementals had laced their spells into her mind. But these spells were something else, and she became frightened as the feeling became overwhelming. She hadn't looked in the book since.

"You seek the forbidden, then. Tell me why."

Angela had never been asked to formulate it into words before. "I need... something else... all this power, it just keeps building... there's no one to teach me how to use it..." She was babbling. She never babbled.

The Goddess looked contemplative. "I could make you a Rune Master. You would take your spells farther and further, combining all elements into one, holding even the powers of life and death. Are you ready for that kind of power?"

Angela gulped. She felt the lie form, but stopped it. "I'm not sure, but I have no choice. I will have to take what is given."

"You speak the truth, my child. I know now what you will become." The Goddess did not tell her before she began, before Angela felt the tingling through her body. "What's happening?" she cried, as the Mana filled her, more than she could hold, and it _changed_, changed from the sweet strength she had always felt to a pulsing throb of pain. The pain was building, a hundred, a thousand times more intense than anything she had experienced before, and Angela gasped, terror filling her. This level of Mana… it would destroy her from the inside before she could control it.

Angela fought the raging tide within her, and it fought back twice as hard. Every push brought a backlash, stinging her, burning her, beating her. She was drowning, underwater, in fire, all of them together smothering her under that tremendous flow, and the more she fought, the weaker she felt.

She had failed. She was dying, she was not ready, she knew that for a fact, and she could only accept it. Her lungs felt squeezed, constricted, not allowing a breath of air, and her heart pounded until she was certain it would explode out of her chest. Consciousness dimmed, and red and black filled her eyes where before there had been white light. There was anger on the Goddess's face, now contorted into a brutal visage, and the Goddess said nothing more to her as she receded into the distance, becoming only a tiny point of light in the chaos swirling around.

Angela wondered who the Fairy would choose as her host once she was dead.

Just as she felt the last bit of life fading away, she heard a voice in a silvery whisper, touching her soul as lightly as a feather.

"You know when you are not strong enough, but must endure anyway. This is what is needed to survive the power of the Black Magus."

--

The heat of battle was all around him. Duran, the Warlord, fought with brutal force, his sword cleaving into the bodies of the foes that outnumbered him by far, faceless soldiers. Where they came from, he did not know; he only knew they were enemies, and that was all that mattered. Surrender was not an option; death was preferable to that disgrace.

He healed as many as he could between attacks, but it was not enough. Many died before he could get to them, his allies' numbers diminishing as their enemies pushed forward.

He slashed into the side of the adversary charging towards him, but instead of a manly growl or grunt, he was surprised to hear a shrill, female-sounding scream. As the knight collapsed on its back, Duran suddenly became afraid. He knelt down, and opened the visor to see a woman's eyes, a nondescript, middle-aged woman whose face nevertheless shone with wisdom. Desperately he tried to cast heal magic, but it seemed to slip away from him.

The woman placed her gauntleted fist on his sword arm. "Duran, that won't work on me."

"How did you know my name?" he demanded.

"What is this medallion around your neck?" she asked, ignoring the question. "This isn't really what you want, is it? You don't even know what you are fighting for."

She was right. He didn't even remember why he was here.

"Perhaps you should up the stairs and find out," she suggested. "Someone is waiting for you there." He turned to the stairs. Stairs? He hadn't remembered those being here, but he began climbing them nonetheless, putting one boot in front of the other, more steps seeming to appear out of the air above. He turned around, but the bottom was lost from view. He shrugged, and kept climbing, until finally, the end was in sight.

Koren waited at the top.

Before him stood Angela, and Koren leaned in close to her. Angela remained carefully expressionless, even in her dress tattered and torn, but he saw anxiety in her eyes. It was some sort of magic that held her, that prevented her from fireballing him out of existence. Duran could feel the wizard's strength, though; Koren only had energy to hold one of them. He drew his sword, ready to slice the wizard's throat open.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the crimson wizard cackled maniacally. Koren slid one arm around her waist, pulling her body against his. "I'll stop her heart before you get that sword near me. But I will spare her, if you put yourself in her place."

Angela's eyes widened in fear as Koren spoke. "Duran, no... I'll do what he wants... just don't leave me, I can't lose you..."

It hurt to hear her plaintive cries, but Duran knew what choice a true Knight would make. He would have made it for any of his friends, but seeing Angela in Koren's clutches made the choice easier to bear. His sacrifice would allow her to live.

Duran stepped before Koren, and knelt before his enemy to lay his sword on the floor in front of him.

Koren shoved Angela harshly away from him, she stumbling before catching herself and running to the far end of the throne room. Unseen men grabbed Duran's arms. He could have fought them off, but he did not object as Koren chained his hands together with a magic bond.

His head was pushed to the floor to lie prostrate before the wizard, his body contorted painfully. He could see out of the corner of his eye, Angela, tears now running down her face. "Don't... please... Koren, have mercy..."

"No, Angela," he forced out. "You forget, I can feel his magic now as well as you... one, and only one, will leave here alive..."

Koren raised the Sword of Mana. Somehow fitting he should die by the Sword Angela had released. Angela screamed as the blade shone above Duran's neck...

...and he was back in Forcena, outside the Inn.

An ordinary, middle-aged woman approached him, her face careworn above the roughspun dress she wore. But there was nothing plain about her as she stood before him, eye to eye. The plain brown hair covered a power emanating from him. She reached to lay a hand on his breastplate.

"What is this medallion around your neck?" she asked.

He reached up to reassure himself the medallion was still, in fact, there. "The Lord's Medallion. The stone is rare, and a necklace like this has not been made for hundreds of years."

"Yes, it is." She fingered the coppery beads appreciatively.

She grasped the chain with a firm hand. With a sudden yank, she tore the chain apart, and as the precious beads bounced to the ground, they glittered in the suddenly fading sunlight.

--

Lise clutched the necklace she had been instructed to bring with her; she hadn't understood when the Fairy had told her to take it with her from Rolante, all those months ago, but it was now clear. She had been holding it in her left hand, close to her heart, when she touched the stone with her right, her spear hand, and the touch of both items was reassuring.

The Goddess greeted her warmly, a being of light, not substance, shimmering in a vague depiction of a female form. "Amazon Lise... Queen Rieszella... it seems only yesterday your mother was here to see me."

"Queen Minerva is no longer with us," she said sadly. Belatedly, she realized that the Goddess must already know, as she had addressed Lise as Queen.

"But though you did not know her well, I can tell you that you are your mother's daughter. She, too, faced every possible sacrifice thinking of the good of her people, and it was her son she died for. She would have been proud to see how well you took after her." Lise wasn't sure if tears were possible in this place, but she felt them anyway.

"Do you know what it is you are holding, Amazon Queen?"

Lise did. "The Briesingamen, the necklace of the last Vanadis, two hundred years ago. My great-aunt."

"Ah, so you would be a Vanadis. It is the strongest class for you. Your power will be that of a demi-goddess. They are the most divine of the Amazons, and I stay close to them always."

Lise had not told anyone what she had decided, least of all Hawk. Her time with him had been wonderful, but she knew he would try to talk her out of her decision. She had stayed up most of the last night trying to decide this, when she realized the second change was imminent, but she only regretted that this would hurt him too. "I need the strength to protect my people. I can never let the disaster that befell us happen again."

"And you would have it. You would have more power than the entire Amazon army combined." The Goddess did not have true eyes, but to Lise it seemed that they narrowed nonetheless. "But you know the sacrifice, don't you? Why the last was your great-aunt, not your great-grandmother?"

"Yes... but... I have a brother, the royal line would survive..."

"It's not enough to _know_. You must say it here, to know what you will give up."

Lise swallowed. She recited the words she remembered her teacher telling her as a young girl. "A Vanadis can never have children, for the divine cannot be reproduced. A Vanadis can never take a man as a lover, for he will die. A Vanadis can never take a man in marriage, for both will die." Lise looked at the Goddess. "You did that on purpose, didn't you? It's too dangerous for that much power to be given to humans for more than one generation."

The Goddess nodded. "Indeed. Reproduction is self-sufficient; I have very little power over the matter, now, and I wished to be able to choose my adopted daughters and sons. You say you are willing to make this sacrifice?"

"Yes." Lise thought her voice rang clear and true.

The Goddess did not agree. "I hear doubt, my daughter of the wind. Have you considered this?"

Lise saw herself, placing the royal cloak around the shoulders of her eldest daughter's fiancé, making them husband and wife. She herself had wrestled this man almost to the ground, to prove he was worthy of her daughter.

"Or this?" asked the Goddess.

Again. Her two elder daughters, twelve and nine, practicing the spear together, the youngest new to the skill, but her sister easing her into it, teaching her, pushing her without overwhelming her.

She tried to shake her head to clear it, but still, the possibilities swam before her, and she could not avoid them.

Again. She saw her sitting with Angela, on the terrace in the palace of Altena. Angela's daughter played with her youngest, the girls chasing each other through the snowy palace gardens.

Again. Hawk, her husband, holding her at the top of the Rolante tower.

Again. Hawk with her, surrounded by their friends, Amazon and civilian, celebrating another year of Rolantic freedom.

Again. Hawk with her seeking the dawn in Navarre; Hawk kissing her by the stream in Forcena; Hawk holding her in Altena, gazing into her eyes in Diorre.

She remembered the promise she had made to him, but never told.

The Goddess stood before her. "Well, Amazon, will you make this sacrifice? Will you take my power, for your people? Will you give yourself up yet again, this time forever?"

Lise fell to her knees, barely noticing the necklace sliding out of her fingers to land on the ground before her. Who was she kidding? She was not a goddess. She had met a man who belonged to another, gotten close to him, slept with him, fallen in love with him and kept wanting him until the day he finally was hers in truth. And now, she wanted him still, wanted him more than her brother, her people, her kingdom. Let him go? She couldn't. She _wouldn't_. Even as guilt wracked her, she knew she'd do it all over again.

Whatever tears meant here, they were streaming down her cheeks. She knew what she should do, but she knew what was going to come out.

"_Noooo_!!"

She felt the Goddess's gaze on her, and she looked up. "Knowing what you cannot do is as wise, and as honorable, as knowing what you can. You will keep this lesson with you... forever."

The visions faded, and Lise heard the Goddess's last words. "Amazon Queen... you will never have the power of the Goddess, but you will always have the power of the stars."

--

It was a cool, but not freezing, desert night. Inside the fortress, celebration was brewing. The sensual desert music drifted through the air.

Friends and acquaintances surrounded him, drinking, laughing. The thieves, the ninja, the dwellers of the night. Here it was that he felt most comfortable.

It was his first sight of the woman that drew him to her, laying on a bed of cushions. Her dark bluish-green hair lay in elaborate curls above her head and covered her naked breasts. Her left arm lay across her wispy skirt of desert silk, and her right hand, adorned with a golden bracelet that wrapped the length of her arm, teased the snake curling next to the pillows.

Of all the women he had been with, Hawk was sure he would have remembered this one. More than that, he felt like he had known her all his life. He walked towards her.

"Hello, Hawk." Her voice was a seductive purr that would have put Angela to shame. Wait, where did that thought come from? Who was Angela? Other names flitted through his skull. Lise. Jessica. Rydia. Women he'd known, women he'd laughed with, women he'd cared for, but still no name matched.

"I've come to see you, because..." his voice trailed off. Why was he here?

"What did you bring me, Hawk?" As she stretched towards him, her body shifting in a way that made his body stir, he stretched out his hand before he knew it. In it was a black die. Where did he get it? Why did he show it to her? Somehow, through the narcotic haze, it surfaced.

"I want the Gift of Mana."

"So you do. The Nighteye Die, from obsidian mined in the deepest caves of the Valley of Flames. Eagle gave this to you many years ago, keeping the other for himself, yet you did not follow his path."

Memory came back slowly, like a single line pointing from him to her. He had kept his die, even while in jail for his best friend's murder.

"Most of your kind choose the Ninja Master."

Yes, she was right. Once a thief chose the path of the Ninja, the goal was mastery. But there was a small minority who went the other way. Few talked about them; their speed, their stealth, made them deathly feared, even among Ninja Masters. Even in a thieves' guild, this path was frowned upon. The Nightblade was an assassin, plain and simple, death walking.

But their skills were incomparable. "I made my choice already. Now I can only follow it through."

The turquoise eyes of the seductress locked into his warm brown. "A Nightblade would have been able to kill Eagle."

It shot him through the heart. His people could see it that way. He did not know how many people understood, and how many people blamed him still.

He straightened, and looked the woman in the eye. Saying the next words was one of the hardest things he had ever done. "If a Nightblade killed Eagle, then he did so for a reason."

The woman swung her legs off the couch to stand, walking towards him. She was even more beautiful close up. "And so it would be. But it was not a Nightblade who killed Eagle, nor was it the man who stands before me."

She leaned in closer. She was of a height with him, and she stared into his eyes, and it seemed his soul. "Deal death when you see fit, Nightblade."

And she kissed him.

--

"Alright Kevin! We've got him now!"

The beastmen of the Beast Kingdom had welcomed him back, the hero of the Moonreading Tower, who had gone with only a small party to defeat the God-Beast. And now, he had gone with them to conquer another hated adversary...

Deathjester was in the center of the circle, held by chains. Up close Kevin could see his face was not truly a skull, but had grayish skin drawn tightly over the bones underneath, giving his face a gaunt and rotted appearance.

This was the monster who had killed his wolf friend, who had taken the lives of the Altenan sorceresses at the Tower, and who knows how many countless others. Worse still, he drained their lifeforce into himself. It disgusted him.

The Beast King stood over the prisoner. "My son... such anger... I give you the honor of disposing of this garbage." The beastmen rarely used weapons, except in ceremonial sacrifice; his father handed him the sword nicknamed the Deathbringer, taken from a defeated Forcenan Duelist long ago.

As Kevin reached for the sword, it began to glow with a faint light. Moonlight, like the cool light which bathed their forest. Kevin was suddenly afraid.

"What did you do, father?" he demanded.

"I did nothing. It was _you_, your desire for punishment, for revenge. Luna gave us this spell, to take the soul and strength of our enemies into ourselves to make us stronger."

Kevin hesitated. "Do it, Kevin," his father urged. "Luna knows that one life is much like another. Take this creature's life for yourself, and the lives of all he sacrificed."

A small flicker across the clearing, behind but above the crowd, caught his attention. The glowing figure was too small to be Luna.

The Fairy.

No expression showed on her tiny face, but he knew what she was thinking anyway. He turned back to the assembled beastmen.

"It's not right... killing for need is one thing, but to kill in order to steal life away..." In the wolf language, Kevin was far more eloquent than he had ever managed in Mana tongue. Growls were heard from the crowd. Among the beastmen, questioning the word of Luna was utter blasphemy.

The Fairy spoke, but it was not her voice he heard. It was a deep ethereal voice he had heard, that he had only heard once before in the Holyland.

"Life is precious, and limited." He had heard that somewhere before as well. It seemed, though, he was the only one who heard her voice.

"This is not the way the Goddess would want it," he shouted to the angry crowd. "This is not the plan She designed. Fighting is how we conquer fear, not how we derive pleasure. Humans violate the Goddess's pattern with wild abandon, will we stoop to their level? _This_ is what we get for that."

He held up the metal ring he wore around his neck. He had told none of his friends when he made this, from one of the beastmen he had been forced to slay inside the moonlight tower. A beastman made this from his first real kill; it might have been Lugar, had Luna not regenerated him. It was supposed to show strength, what a beastman was supposed to be; but Kevin kept it to remind himself what he did not want to be as well.

In the center of the ring, a glass bubble held a sliver of a beastman heart.

The crowd shrank back from the amulet. Few of them owned such an item. It was said to house not only the heart of the deceased, but the soul as well.

Kevin put down the sword, and cupped his fists with the glass ball inside. "If the soul of this warrior chooses to give me his power, I will accept," he announced, addressing the crowd but looking past to the Fairy. "But I will not take it by force. If we are to survive, we cannot allow ourselves to lose compassion that way."

The Fairy nodded, and with a twirl and a flutter of wings, winked out of existence.

--

Carlie held the hand of her mother as she played in the flower meadow. She looked up at her mother's laughing, elven features. She giggled, and threw her arms around her mother.

But just as her mother bent down to hug her back, she began to melt away like a snowman in the sun. Carlie tried to hang on, but suddenly her arms were waving though thin air.

"Mama! Please come back!" she cried. "Too soon! Goddess, bring her back to Carlie!"

She thought her prayer had been answered, but the tall, beautiful woman who looked down at her was not her mother, though there was a resemblance. Where her mother had long, curling brown hair, this woman had the same hair in a coppery red. The delicate elven features were similar, but this woman's eyes were the same blue of Carlie's, not Shayla's hazel. The height and the figure were similar, but it was still not her mother.

"Wh... who are you? You aren't Carlie's mom!" she yelled, angrily, stepping back.

"Of course not," the woman said, giggling. "I'm you, Carlie."

Carlie was suddenly very confused, but she liked this woman anyway.

"How that happen?" she demanded.

"You're in the realm of the Goddess now, and she has a special message for you. She needs your help, maybe for a long, long time. Did you bring her a present?"

Carlie had been carrying her vial of holy water for as long as she could remember. Her Grampa said her father, his son Leroy, had gone all the way to the Holyland to get it when she was born, to bless the child of his forbidden love with the elven girl Shayla.

The grownup-Carlie sat down in the grass, playing with the bottle of pure, clear water. "This is a really great gift for the Goddess. She will love it. In return, she will help you figure out your Gift."

"What do I do next?" little-Carlie wondered.

"Well, you think about what you want! You could be a Sage, like your Grampa. You would be closer to the people that way. Or you could be a Bishop, and you will be closer to the Goddess. It all depends."

"On what? What does the Goddess want?" Carlie demanded of her big-self.

"Why, the same thing she wants for all her creations! To be happy, of course!" The big-Carlie laughed, and stood. "Well, Carlie, look at me, what do you want me to be?"

--

The Holyland had barely faded into view before Lise fell sobbing into Hawk's arms. "Hawk," she cried, "I've done it too many times already! I won't give you up ever again!"

There would be plenty of time later for Hawk to ask what she had seen to upset her like this, but for now he could only hold her while she cried, cried like she never had before. "There, there, Lise," he soothed her. "You'll never have to."

And he no longer was afraid she'd want to. Even as deadly as he was now, he understood they were on the same side, and would do whatever needed to be done.

--

Angela was angry. With no other outlet, she shot a fireball away from the group. It was much bigger than she had anticipated, and it veered crazily above the trees.

"Goddess, what's with you, Angela?" Hawk's sarcasm was only for her. The way he was holding Lise, snuggled forlornly in his arms, showed nothing but tenderness.

"The bitch tricked me! She said she would give me one thing, then she gave me the other!"

"You shouldn't talk about the Goddess that way," Carlie told her gravely.

"And who are _you_ to tell me that?"

"I am a Bishop now. When the Goddess speaks, she speaks through me."

Angela's jaw dropped. That was a little more than she could handle right now.

--

Kevin looked at Duran. "Light again. Only Carlie picked the same. Why?"

Duran looked back. "I could ask you as well why you chose dark first, but light now."

The two fighters looked at one another for a moment. Finally, Kevin said, "You first."

"I didn't like what I might become on the dark side," admitted Duran. I hadn't thought I could become a Paladin, he thought to himself. A holy warrior of Light. I didn't think I could overcome my anger enough. But it seems we all have changed.

"Now, you?" Duran finished.

"In the first change, I realized I could not deny my heritage, I could only learn when to use it. But I needed to keep the light, to use it only when needed, and never to take." Kevin looked at Hawk. "In what we do, we must all decide when to choose life, and when to hand out death."

--

The sky looked the same as when they had landed in the Holyland, on Gnome's day.

"That wasn't so bad, it was right quick," said Hawk "Took only a few minutes."

"That's what you think," said the Fairy. "It's been a whole day. You couldn't think the Goddess would transform her heroes on any day other than the Mana Holy Day, did you?"


	38. City of Illusion

**38. CITY OF ILLUSION (ANGELA)**

Whatever day it was, there were enough hours left to get to the city of Pedan. Or at least, the jungle where it was located.

Flammie set them down in a clearing in the thicket of tropical plants, even smaller than their landing spot in the Forest of Wonder. She hovered awkwardly as the party helped each other off, then fought to surface the treetops as she left.

They followed Carlie on blind faith, the girl insisting she knew the way. Hawk knew he had the best sense of direction of any of them, but he had the uncomfortable feeling that they were going in circles. Worse still, when they returned to what he thought was the start of the circle, it was in fact an entirely new place. Maybe Dryad was doing something crazy with these trees.

"It could be," Angela responded to his query. "Altena does not usually study moon or tree magic, it's a little too weird. And there is definitely some weird Mana in this forest."

With his sense of direction completely shot, he knew they had no choice but to follow the Bishop. And to cross their fingers that she really did know the way. She seemed sure enough of herself, skipping ahead happily, until eventually they came to a clearing - with nothing but a ruined stone building in the middle.

Carlie ran to the door and peered in as if there could be a city hiding somewhere inside. "Wh- what? It was supposed to be here! Heath wouldn't lie to me!" The tears started to form, and Lise moved to comfort the increasingly agitated girl, while the others gathered together.

"I knew it, we're lost," said Angela.

"It's getting late," observed Kevin. By the largest moon, it must have been almost midnight.

"Well, this looks like as good a place as any to spend the night. We can't venture further into the jungle tonight anyway," Duran decided.

--

There were only three beds in the hut, but the rough-woven blankets seemed serviceable enough. Hawk nobly volunteered to sleep on the floor. The other men were just behind him, arguing for who wanted to sleep on the hard stone, but Lise was already laying out some of the extra blankets for the two of them.

Lise might not have herself chosen to sleep on the floor, but if Hawk would do it, she would do it right there with him. For herself, Angela was glad that Hawk had eventually won over the others. She herself would have gladly let Duran spend the night on the floor without her. She plopped herself on the somewhat substandard accommodations, and, placing her staff neatly against the wall, curled up in one of the scratchy blankets.

Carlie was already snoring on the middle bed when Duran wrapped his arms around her. Having him there made it easier to sleep on the less-than-soft pallet, she thought, as she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off.

--

Hawk awoke, a short while before dawn, the color of the sky outside no longer jet black but now a navy blue. Something in him did not want to sit still.

He gently extracted himself from the blankets; he carefully removed Lise's head from his shoulder, not wanting to wake her. She did not stir as he slid out. He stepped outside, and breathed into the night air -

He thought he had seen it all.

Wheeling around, he zoomed back in to shake Lise awake.

--

"What - " Lise murmured, eyes opening to see Hawk above her wearing an urgent expression.

"You've got to see this," he told her. "There's a city outside."

"_What_? Am I dreaming?" Lise's shout woke the others. Kevin slid neatly to his feet, while Angela sleepily told them to be quiet.

"No, come see!" He pulled her to her feet and towards the door. Duran was waking the sleepy Angela, while somehow Carlie had appeared fully alert next to him. "I told you! It's Pedan!" the girl said petulantly.

Lise looked out at the city beyond, ancient gold-bricked buildings catching the early dawn light as far as the eye could see. Even the outside of their ramshackle structure gleamed, somewhat age-worn but still bearing the marks of ancient construction. It couldn't be anything else but the city of magic.

Lise and Hawk stood guard slightly superstitiously, in case the illusion chose to disappear, while the others grabbed their things. Lise felt Kevin sliding her leather armor over her tunic, and her spear was pressed into her right hand. She stepped out of the no-longer-decaying building as the sun broke over the horizon.

--

"Where to?" wondered Lise.

"The Temple," Carlie announced determinedly. "They must have a temple if they have all this magic."

_Altena did just fine without a temple_, Angela thought, but their belief system was a little different. She did not want to be the one to correct the Wendelic Priestess - no, wait, Bishop.

Especially after they found the temple in question.

It wasn't a terribly _impressive_ temple, just a single building no larger than the structures that were presumably residences. Inside, the interior was dominated by a huge tablet written in some ancient language, not the current Mana Tongue. It seemed to call to Angela, and she leaned forward towards it, fingering the carved letters. The same script, the same feeling, as the Forbidden Book…

Carlie was poking at the lower right corner. "What does it mean?" she asked, irritated.

"Angela? Are you getting anything out of this?" asked Hawk.

"Hush," she murmured absentmindedly, caressing the stone slowly. It was taking longer than the book, but it was perhaps even older. Nevertheless, as she touched the letters...

Some of the images were hazy. Trees, castles, mountains.

But every once in a while, she would touch a letter, and an image popped up, clear as day. The first thing she saw was a palace, deep in the jungle. She couldn't explain why, but it seemed like it was, but wasn't there.

She wanted to pull away, but forced herself to keep "reading".

A castle, high on a mountain, reachable only through a maze of caves. Storms wailed overhead. Even though it was day, it seemed dark as night.

The next flash. She knew where this was. A silvery silicon desert, sparkling like glass, and a blood red mountain above it. The shadowy shape of a dragon flying overhead. She knew this place, at least, from Altenan lore.

The last line, she sensed a Mana Stone, but it seemed to swirl with the other images. She could not say where exactly it lay.

She stood up, shaking her head to clear it. Duran looked at her, and stepped forward to put a hand around her shoulders. She _was _feeling a little dizzy.

"Well?" Kevin asked simply.

"It was very strange... it was like the Dark Stone was in all three places at once... like there was a possibility of its being there, but it wasn't certain."

"So how do we find it?" asked Lise.

"I don't know," admitted Angela.

--

Since the mysterious city appeared to be surprisingly populous, they figured it couldn't hurt to ask around. Not that it was really populated by… people… despite broad daylight, they had a definite ghostly aura to them. Most likely, they were the spirits remaining for the population's extermination… but they seemed rather personable, all things considered.

"Somewhere in the twisted maze of trees outside Pedan, there's a structure called the Mirage Palace," one man told them. "But I don't know anyone who has ever found it."

"If that first vision was indeed the Jungle of Illusion, then it could be the Mirage Palace we're looking for," Lise whispered to the rest.

"The Dragon Emperor is hiding at Dragon's Hole, making plans to destroy the city of Pedan!" another man gleefully told them.

"He seems strangely excited about it," noted Hawk.

"These are ghosts of the past!" Angela retorted. "Who knows what they think?"

"Dark castle? Not sure. There was once a Castle of Light, though... it was a bright, shining castle on an island north of Rolante. But the rumor is, it became the home of a prince who destroyed his own kingdom... perhaps that is what you are looking for," a woman told them.

"North of Rolante... Does this sound familiar, Lise?" asked Duran.

She thought for a moment. "A bit. I think that's the story of the prince who sold his soul to the demons... the one from the Ancient City of Light… but I hadn't heard that was where he was making his new stronghold."

"Demons? I bet that's where Bigieu will be found!" Hawk tensed angrily, in contrast to the Nightblade's usual deadly calm.

"But where first?" asked Carlie.

Good question. Shrugs were seen all around.

"Well, we're here... maybe start with this Mirage Palace, and take it from there," Duran suggested.

--

It was a small, blue-haired boy that ran across their path, stopping them in their tracks as they walked back to the "inn", that stopped Duran dead in his tracks.

"Prince Richard and the Golden Knight! They're here, buying supplies!

Duran knelt, and grabbed the boy's arm. "What did you say? Who's here?"

"Prince Richard and the Golden Knight, Loki! They're in the armor shop! It's that one!" the boy said, pointing to a building across the square before wriggling free. Wordlessly, Duran turned in the direction the boy had pointed, striding away, and Angela rushed to catch up with him. She had a feeling he was about to make a big mistake. Breathless, she entered the shop just in time to see Duran talking to a young, tall blond man, who looked oddly familiar.

"King Richard?" Duran asked, as she heard her friends arrive behind her.

"King? No, I'm his son. My father may be getting old, but he's still the king!" The blond man laughed.

Richard had been king for a decade. Could this be... ?

She noticed the auburn-haired knight next to Richard as Duran turned to him. The second man had a slightly angry cast to his features. She had seen that expression on another man close to her, many times.

"Father! Is that you?" Duran seemed as plaintive as a child. "Don't fight the Dragon Emperor! Please!!"

"Eh, who are you?" Loki replied. No mistaking it, just a pitch lower, but unmistakably Duran's voice. "I have a son, but he's only five years old. You do have his eyes, though. Well, I hope he turns out to be a sharp looking fellow like you!" Loki turned to his companion. "Prince Richard, are you ready? Then we shall go to Dragon's Hole!"

"Right!" Richard replied.

"Father!!" Duran cried. He lunged for the door the men were leaving out of, but Kevin had caught Angela's glance, and restrained Duran, who fought hard as the beastman held his arms firmly behind him. Angela motioned for all the rest to leave, as Duran gave in, his shoulders slumping dejectedly.

"Kevin, will you leave us, please," she asked. The beastman nodded. As he let go, Duran let himself fall to one knee, head hunched over.

Angela walked next to him, touching him on the shoulder. He pushed her arm away. She frowned. She wasn't very good at this comfort stuff, but he should know she was way too stubborn to take no for an answer.

Two, three times he flinched from her touch. On the fourth try, she dropped to her knees beside him, and grabbed him with all her strength. Physically more powerful, he could easily have wriggled out of her arms, but he did not.

Angela slid one hand softly under his chin. _Easy, now_, she told herself, _or he'll get defensive again_. It was with only the slightest touch on his cheek that she turned his head towards her.

Tears were in his eyes.

As his gaze met hers, he flinched away, but she caught his face, turning it back. Even facing her, he avoided her look, but her slender fingers held both cheeks now, and eventually he raised his eyes to meet hers.

She said nothing. There was nothing she _could _say. If she acknowledged his sadness he would be mortified. But they both knew it was too late, she had seen him cry. She caressed his face, then kissed him gently, his eyes, his nose, his mouth, tenderly. His eyes closed as he gave in to her touch.

His arms slid around her, and she let him pull her close.

--

Duran held Angela tightly. Amazing, with a few kisses, she had reminded him that the past was past, and the future was here. With her.

Embrace loosened, they sat together against the wall, in the now-deserted shop anteroom. He cried gently on her shoulder. Her silence was calming, but she never took her hands off him.

Eventually, it was enough. He stirred, and Angela sat up on her knees, as if to rise. "I don't know if I can face them now," he told her. No need to say who _they _were.

Angela did not speak for a second, looking down, seeming to consider her words. Finally she looked up and her gaze met his sharply. "I know you're brave enough to do it," she said.

It was just what he needed to hear. Getting to his feet, he squared his shoulders, and taking the hand of the woman beside him, he exited into the light outside.

--

"Shouldn't we wait?" Lise asked, as they returned to their lodging. "He might need us."

"He needs more for us _not_ to wait for him, trust me on this," Hawk had replied. "It's the way he is, Angela can take care of him. Don't make a big deal out of it."

Lise took his advice seriously, schooling herself to stillness as the two came in. Carlie was engrossed in the house of twigs they were building, and Lise forced herself to maintain attention on the girl. Hawk had engaged Kevin in conversation, though Lise recognized Hawk's tone to be mildly forced. Rabite joke. Kevin laughed politely, a low, growling sound.

"So how shall we find this Mirage Palace, Lise?" Hawk directed the question her way. Lise looked up.

"Well," she said, forcing her tone to remain calm and even, "maybe Carlie could find the way. She seems to have gotten use here well enough."

The girl hopped up excitedly at the idea. "Of course I can! You just have to listen closely. The birds sound different if you go the wrong way. Then you get above the forest, in the hills."

What a strange sort of security system, Lise wondered.

Duran had sat to the side with Angela, and Lise forced herself to maintain the conversation, ignoring him. Gradually, Duran started joining the discussion, interjecting comments and proposals.

"It's still early. If we get going, we might be able to reach our goal today," he finally said, with an air of decision. He was back to the old Duran again.


	39. The Stone of Darkness Returns

**39. THE STONE OF DARKNESS RETURNS (LISE)**

As they began the trek through the forest, they all were listening that much more closely.

"I _can_ hear it," said Hawk, a couple of hours later. "It's subtle, but it's there. I'm surprised I didn't notice earlier."

Carlie looked immensely pleased with herself. Sure enough, the jungle opened to a clearing next to a turquoise waterfall, where they settled for the night before finally breaking through the mysterious maze of trees the next morning.

They made their way up the hill past the west side of the waterfall, the forest now visible below them, though Pedan was mysteriously obscured from sight once again. Carlie ran ahead, her childish energy getting the better of her. The rest let her run ahead, secure in the peaceful calm surrounding them.

Until they heard the girl's shriek.

Hawk was running in an instant, his speed rapidly leaving the rest of the party behind. But as, one by one, they reached the top of the hill, all stopped dead in their tracks, unprepared for the sight they saw.

"What's the Mana Stone of Darkness doing _here_?" asked the Fairy.

The enormous crystal sat calmly on the cliff's edge, color slowly swirling over the surface as they had seen on the other Stones, now destroyed. "Whatever it's doing here, this is great news!" Angela protested. "It hasn't cracked open yet... the God-Beast is still inside!"

"Uh, Angela... there's some pretty serious fissures in that thing..." Hawk said nervously.

Perhaps the Stone was waiting for them, for it was while they were watching that the fissures began to widen before their eyes, first hair-thin, then tearing apart like a cracked egg. Dark light poured out of the stone, swirling to envelope them, the forest disappearing from view. Carlie screamed in the dead blackness.

But the darkness was much preferable to what appeared next.

No trees or hills were visible, nor anything else besides the terrifying darkness past a platform below their feet, perhaps fifteen feet square. They shuddered to think what might lie over the edge, and all instinctively clustered together in the center, and from that inky nothingness emerged two floating, demonic heads.

"The God-Beast of Darkness," breathed Lise.

To their surprise, it was little Carlie who stepped forward, fire in her eyes. "Zable Fahr, you will not be victorious!" she screamed. "Not then, and not now!" Duran grabbed her to pull her back, but she looked at him, unafraid.

"The Goddess is with us," she announced solemnly. As she placed her hands on his, his sword began to glow with a brilliant white light, like nothing they had ever seen before. Except once. In the Holyland.

Duran's sword glowed with the same light as the Goddess's statue.

He rose it over his head, and swung down towards the left head of the monstrosity with all his strength. It seemed to silently scream as the glowing light met dead flesh. The retaliation was quick and severe, as dark magic poured over the party, their heightened magic senses leading them to brace in anticipation even before the spell was released.

Lise had never been able to cast without touch. But now, seeing the dark energy pouring towards her friends, she panicked, unsure where to go first and stuck to the spot as a result. Her mind stretched out to all of them, wishing she could protect them all, and in the back of her mind, she found Undine responding. Before she could figure out what she was doing, she felt the Water Elemental's magic pouring over them like a tsunami.

Lise was just in the nick of time. As if in slow motion, she watch Angela turn to face the right head of Zable Fahr, as the dark spell hit the all full force.

--

Angela stood, unafraid, as the dark energy surrounded her. Only for a moment did it blur her vision, before dispelling into nothingness, like the paltry first spell of a new magician. 

"Is that all you can do?" she cried. "Let me show you how it's done!"

Her own dark spells were now much stronger than what had been thrown at her, but the dark element was useless to her here. Instead, she returned to the balls of light she had learned when she first became able to use magic. Now, however, the power of a Magus surged through her, beyond her control. The spell built, and built, and built...

The light that emerged was as bright as the sun.

The demon head opened its mouth in a silent shriek as Lumina's power encountered it. She had expected some sort of explosion as the elements collided, but instead, its mouth remained open as its flesh turned a corpselike gray, spreading over Zable Fahr's left face.

Duran and Lise were already at the right head. Carlie had not wasted time, and everyone's weapons now glowed with holy light. The second head opened in that same silent shriek. Two swings of Duran's sword, three stabs of Lise's spear, and one punch from Kevin, and the other head gained the dead grayish tint of its cousin.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," joked Hawk.

Even as lucky as Hawk was, a comment like that was a jinx for sure. They stood in the darkness, looking at the grotesque and pallid figures before them, and hoping that the not-too-distant future would be taking them out of this place. To their dismay, a dull grayish light began to appear from the north side of the platform.

Where the twin head had been monstrously ugly, there appeared before them a feminine head, overwhelming in its beauty. Its almond eyes and delicate features put Angela to shame. As the figure blinked its luscious eyes, the two former heads regained the glow of life.

The female head of Zable Fahr looked at them, and its eyes glowed with an ungodly light. All Angela could tell for sure was that some sort of energy was passing between the three heads; and like the forces of hell, the inferno encompassed them. There was no flame, but her skin burned nevertheless.

The force was overwhelming, as she dropped to her knees. Hell Cross. Not even Altena dared research this spell, requiring a trio all connected to darkness. If there was a stronger way to twist Shade's magic, she didn't know what it was.

--

"Separate!" Lise shouted, in the same tone she used to command her Amazon army. "Angela, Carlie, in the center! Everyone else, to the four corners of the platform!"

Duran quickly stepped to the left of the female head, seeing Kevin move to its right. Lise knew what she was about. From here, they could attack all the heads, while diffusing the target for Zable Fahr; and their wizards were the most protected. Two against each head should be a reasonable fight, God-Beast or not.

Hawk had not truly tested the power of his class change. But now, as the Goddess had told him, he was ready to deal death. Which part of his foe was weakest? He did not know. He dove for the right head, the closest.

He hadn't realized the speed he had gained. In a matter of seconds, he moved from one head to the other, slicing each with his holy-enchanted blades. His body moved seemingly without his own direction. He stood back, stunned, seeing all three heads shrink back from the force of his slices, but recovered to dive in once again.

Nearby, Kevin howled in his werewolf form as his fists and legs slammed into the female head. Even touched with the Bishop's power, it was obvious his incredible strength was not enough. Hawk watched him step back for a moment, tensing for the next attack, allowing his power to build. As the bestial power filled him, he leaped into the air, his limbs extended to pummel the enemy in the attack with fists of death.

--

Lise dove and sliced to catch her blade across the visage of the left head, but despite her Carlie-enchanted spear, the effect was minimal. Breathing hard, she stepped back, and, looking to her right, spied the female head.

Perhaps it was her Amazon experience that led her to think the female was more deadly that the male. She made her decision in a split second, and she was off and running. As she reached the edge of the platform, she jumped, spear in hand, and landed square on the female head, her spear a blur of light like a falling star.

Her spear hit the female head square between the eyes. Flesh or no, it screamed with a blood-curdling shriek. As Lise bounced back to the platform in a move worthy of Hawk, she saw the female head turning that same sickly decayed color, and the grotesque gargoyle heads right along with it.

The stone platform faded again into the grass of the Jungle of Illusion, and Lise fell to the grass, grabbing handfuls to reassure herself that it was really there, that the fight was really over.

They had done it. They had killed all eight God-Beasts. The Fairy appeared to join them in their moment of reverence. As the stunned silence broke, laughter and jokes began to erupt, Hawk gratuitously hugging Lise, Angela, Carlie, and even Kevin, just for the hell of it.

Suddenly, the Fairy cried out as if in pain, and all eyes turned to her. "What is it?" asked Duran.

"The Mana Stone of Darkness has returned... the last God-Beast has been returned to the Sword that binds it... oh, no! Now the Sword of Mana contains the power of all eight! And it's in Koren's hands! The Goddess didn't tell me where their energy would go… I knew the Sword could control them… but I didn't know they all went back _there_!"

"Why would the Goddess pull shit like that on us?" demanded Angela.

"I don't know," wailed the Fairy.

Carlie fretted, wobbling from foot to foot. "Uh-oh… you mean we made the bad guys get stronger?"

"Then all our effort was for nothing!" exclaimed Lise. She tossed her handful of grass towards the ground in anger, and stomped on it a couple of times for good measure.

Angela squared her shoulders. "Not yet! We can't quit now! We have to stop them, if we still have any kind of a chance!" The men nodded firmly in assent, Kevin growling slightly under his breath. "We'll find that Goddess-damned Koren somewhere!"

"But where might he be? And why did we find the Dark Stone here?" wondered Lise.

"Carlie found it," reminded Kevin, and all eyes turned to look at the little Bishop.

Was it possible the Dark Stone had been looking for _her_?

--

With the Dark Beast gone into nothingness, Angela noticed something strange on the ground where the Stone had been.

A mirror.

She was the first to approach it, wiggling it back and forth experimentally, until at one point it caught the sun fully in its reflective surface, and began to glow with an incredible sunlight even after the Magus tilted it back again. Angela didn't know what to make of it, but she suspected she was on the right track towards _something_.

Tilting the mirror over the cliffside, suddenly the sun's rays were starkly reflected into the trees beyond, and where there was nothing but forest before, now in the distance they could see a large structure.

"The Mirage Palace?" wondered Lise.

"It must be," agreed Hawk.

Angela paused thoughtfully. "It feels... like Pedan. There's some powerful magic in use to conceal its location."

Carlie had somehow made her way to the edge of the cliff and now leaned over precariously. "I want to go! Right now!"

"Well, if the Dark Stone was here, isn't it possible Koren and the Sword are here as well?" Lise suggested.

"I certainly hope so," Duran answered grimly.


	40. Mirage Palace

**40. MIRAGE PALACE (HAWK)**

Finding the mirage palace was easy enough; the mirror seemed to have opened the trees as well, to lead them straight to it, directing them to a long paved pathway, the entry visible beyond. Duran was eerily reminded of the walkway into the castle of Altena. He didn't think what they would find here would be particularly innocuous, either.

The pathway led under an arch carved with a grotesquely realistic skull at the top, and the air shimmered...

They were back in the Temple of Light.

The Priest stood before the statue of the Goddess, just as he and Angela had seen him, all those months ago. But Duran _knew _the Priest was on the brink of death, he had seen for himself. But before he could open his mouth, Carlie was running forward. "Grampa!" she cried.

"Carlie! I'm so glad to see you're alright!"

"No, Carlie -" Duran yelled, as he lunged for her, but Kevin was quicker. With barely any effort, he scooped up the girl, screaming and wriggling.

The "Priest's" eyes narrowed evilly. "Now I can have the pleasure of killing you myself!"

"Grampa! What's gotten into you?!" Carlie wailed, but the Priest disappeared without answering.

To their right, appeared a vampire; unlike Jagan, this one appeared decidedly female. To the left, a werewolf. And behind them, two doors. Duran did not know which, if either, was the way out.

"The vampire's mine! Let's see if you go down as easily as your buddy did!" The fireball Angela let loose was her most uncontrolled yet. As it hit its target, it exploded, and it did not burn the vampire, it obliterated her.

"What was _that_, Angela?" called Lise.

"I don't know! It's like the spell took on a life of its own!"

Duran, meanwhile, had stepped towards the wolf, who howled into the air, but he heard a voice behind him. "Stand back, Duran." He turned to see Kevin, who had in the meantime set down Carlie. The girl had recovered herself, and now looked merely terrified, hiding behind the Death Hand. In a matter of seconds, Kevin morphed into a werewolf himself.

Duran respectfully bowed out, sword to head, to his fellow warrior. As the werewolf lunged, Kevin met him with a punch, sending their adversary flying backwards. A brief struggle, and the wolf was defeated. Duran was amazed. If Kevin had that kind of strength when they met him, Lugar wouldn't have stood a chance.

Hawk had somehow sped past the fighting wolves, and was tinkering with the door beyond, perhaps the one thing real in the chamber. He flung it open to reveal white light beyond. "Come on, guys, I think this is the way out!" he called.

--

The party spilled out of the doorway in an unceremonious heap, back onto the paving stones of the palace entry. Hawk jumped to his feet, and experimentally walked through the archway and back again. Just an arch, now.

"Well, now we know why it's called the Mirage Palace," observed Angela, shaking out her dress.

"But what else might we encounter here?" wondered Lise.

Carlie, meanwhile, had burst into tears. "Grampa!!" she cried. Duran, the nearest to her, was given the job of consoling the young Bishop.

"Now, now, Carlie, it was just an illusion. We'll find the way to heal your Grampa for real, alright?"

She lifted her head slightly and nodded. "I'll be brave."

"Well, Carlie, you can't let yourself be scared of a mirage, when there will probably be more before we leave this place," Kevin said darkly.

--

The entire palace seemed eerily empty, and they were practically jumping out of their skin waiting for something dangerous and slavering to come jumping around the corner. Lise suddenly remembered something. "Mirage Palace. That was where Deathjester said his master had been executed, when we saw his image in the Holyland."

"Perhaps Deathjester is indeed dead, if this was his master's stronghold," mused Hawk. But even without a master, the mirages lived on, and when the next arch approached, they knew what to expect.

"Can't we go around it?" asked Lise. Carlie sniffed plaintively, though the tears had ceased. "Angela, what do you think? Do you feel any Mana here?"

"Beats the hell out of me," replied Angela. "Fairy?"

Their ethereal companion appeared, and fluttered in front of the archway momentarily. "This place is completely wacky," she told them. "There's Mana here, but it's so complex that even I can't make anything of it. If they took the time to create something so involved, I suspect the mirages are here to protect it. We'll probably have to make our way through them to proceed."

They looked at the arch apprehensively, as Lise was the first to dive through.

--

No one else seemed to recognize where they were. A village, destroyed, the houses burnt-out shells. "Eek! What happened?" asked Carlie, looking around nervously.

"Looks like someone burned this town to the ground," observed Hawk. Enough had tumbled in on themselves to make it clear that whatever had happened, had happened some months before.

"How could they?!" asked Lise. "Where are we, and who did this?"

Only Angela among them knew exactly where they were. She had arrived there, the morning she met the Fairy, to see the same scene of destruction before her. Astoria.

Her friends didn't believe her at first, but that was before they saw the first ghost.

"So, how do we get out of here, Angela?" Duran was saying. The ghost of an old man floated up behind them, seeming to want to say something.

Angela put her hand out to him. He stretched his hand to hers. Though she felt nothing, at the point where they would have touched, the ghost disappeared.

"They want us to know they were there," said Carlie sadly. She walked over to the ghost of an old woman who had appeared next to the building. Carlie said something softly to her, and the old woman bent to seem to put an arm around her before disappearing.

The hushed party traveled through a dead town, looking to give the spirits some peace. One by one, they stretched out to the spirits of the decimated village, each phantom seemingly grateful as they slipped out of vision.

The last one they found was the shopkeeper. Angela reached out...

...and shrank away, as her hand touched warm flesh.

The shopkeeper glared at them with hollow eyes. "I fled, I made it to Wendel," he said. "Not a lot of good it did me, the beastmen found me on the way back anyway." And with that, he turned into an amorphous spirit, and flew at them. Angela felt the air whistle as it flew past them. It grinned evilly.

Duran readied his sword, and Lise her spear. "No! It won't help!" cried Carlie. Angela felt the Mana as Carlie began to cast.

She was used to unpleasant surprises from monsters, but thought she knew everything about her friends. But what Carlie did next was like nothing she had ever seen before. She didn't think it was even possible.

As the Astoria ghost flew towards Carlie, the girl put her hands out to meet it as if in an embrace. Angela wasn't sure if the room grew dark, or Carlie shone with light, but somehow Carlie stood there looking much like a little Goddess herself. The ghost met her embrace...

To the floor, crumpled a perfectly ordinary-looking merchant.

"You have turned me back from the undead... now I can rejoin my friends and family in death..." That was all they heard, as they returned to the arch.

--

The third arch led them into a cave, a staircase leading downwards into dark gloom. As they descended the stairs, the rocks behind slammed together, sealing the passage upwards. Hopefully, the exit was planning to open up again.

With only one way to go, they traveled deeper into the caves, with the rocks sealing the route behind them every level they went down. At the bottom, the path dead-ended onto a small plateau surrounded by an underground lake. Nothing further was visible, save the treasure chest that lay there.

Angela strode forward, and opened it. Inside she found a scroll, which she unrolled to find the same script as the tablet of Pedan.

"What does it say, Angela?" asked Lise.

Angela could pick out a single thought, as clear as if someone spoke it to her. "When the box was opened, all the evils of the world came loose. And at the bottom, a single ray of hope."

The meaning was clear to them all. Like it or not, they were, together, the ray of hope. Were the creators of the palace sending them a message? As the cave faded to their eyes, it left them wondering if someone who had opened the box was in the palace waiting for them.

Thankfully, no more arches greeted them, as the path opened up into a moonlit courtyard. In the middle, a pole stood, surrounded by a skull and eight orbs glowing with a blue fire. Lise approached the totem with a bit of wonder. "It's strange," she said. "It feels just like the Goddess statues, but it looks so terrifying... Why is it like that?"

Kevin had the answer for her. "Because life and death are all part of the same," he told them. "It's one of Luna's teachings to the beastmen. Perhaps, of all the elementals, Luna is the only one unafraid of death. It only stands to reason that the Goddess might take the face of death as easily as that of life."

The skull only continued to grin, and the blue orbs softly glowed.

--

Across the courtyard, the entrance to the palace proper was covered with overhanging trees, barely letting in light from above, seemingly one more way in which it kept away its unwanted guests. It seemed willing enough to invite the six in, however, and the inside shone brightly with light from all directions.

A far cry from the creepy courtyard and mystical mirages, the interior was a luminous environment that put the Temple of Light to shame. Elegant fluted columns flanked windows of stained glass in a mosaic rainbow, while the pearlescent stones of the floor looked as if they had been shined yesterday.

"Do you know anything about this place, Lise?" asked Angela.

"I've never read about it," admitted Lise. "I don't think it was the seat of any kingdom. Maybe it is a mirage itself, of all palaces, and none."

"So we're in an invisible palace?" suggested Hawk.

Lise gave him a challenging look and a teasing smile. "Is that really the strangest thing that has happened?"

As beautiful as it was, after a couple of hours of wandering through it, finding their way to the same rooms over and over, it began to lose its charm. "Where the hell are we _going_?" exclaimed Duran angrily, in rather un-Paladin-like show of temper.

Hawk, meanwhile, was looking skeptically at the walls around them. "I've been sketching out the floor plan in my head," he explained, "and it seems like there's space unaccounted for. I think must still be a room in the center." He outlined roughly where he was looking, and everyone's attention shifted to solving the mystery.

It was Carlie who finally found their goal.

"Ooooh... look at the light, making pretty patterns!" she exclaimed, and caught the attention of the rest. Sure enough, light was streaming through the multicolored windows to scatter over the floor. Except, the window in question was on the _inside_ of the building.

Figuring the light was probably scattering from the next room over – the palace had all kinds of crazy floor layouts – Hawk put his hand up to the glass, and too his surprise, it slid right through. "Carlie saw what we missed," he announced, pulling his hand back and wiggling his fingers. He couldn't believed it had escaped even his notice. "This window is another mirage." He hoisted himself up on the sill, and hopped through.

As they all tumbled through, they found themselves in a new room - finally - in the dead center of the palace ground floor. Before them, a staircase led to the second floor, the roof open to the sky. They could see the late afternoon sun that had slanted through to create the refractions of the mirage window that had drawn Carlie's attention.

The top of the stairs led to a columned walkway, leading above the courtyard and approach they had walked through earlier, ending at a pair of tall double doors. It was their imposing presence that tipped the party off.

"The throne room," Lise announced. "It must be." Fellow royal Angela nodded her agreement.

But what mirage king might there be, inside the throne room?


	41. The Fallen Priest

**41. THE FALLEN PRIEST (CARLIE)**

It was a gaunt, pale young man who lay sprawled across the throne, eyes closed.

Carlie ran forward; she had missed Heath so much, in the months since she had seen him enveloped by Deathjester's dark spell in the forest by Wendel. But he didn't look much better than her grampa had, and she was afraid. "Heath! What happened to you? Wake up! It's me, Carlie! Don't you remember?"

Heath rolled his head. He looked like he had come back from the brink of death. "Ugh... Carlie... you must have found the note I left in the treasure chest..."

"Heath! Don't talk!" Carlie cried, already preparing the healing spell, but Heath grabbed her hand to stop her.

His eyes fluttered open with a haunted look, and he forced out the words. "I remember... the attack... the dragons... the fire... It was the Dragon Emperor, heading for the Holyland... He must be stopped..."

Carlie sniveled. She didn't care about any of that other stuff, all that mattered to her was that she had found Heath. "No!" she argued. "I can't leave you!"

Heath turned his head wanly to look at her then. Her stomach churned with anxiety. "Carlie, listen... You have to do this... It was my father, who began a study of the forbidden dark magics. Demon magics, that could create life from death. Your great-grandfather, the father of the current Priest of Light, asked my father to leave Wendel. The darkness eventually took over him, twisting and corrupting his mind and body. He covered his face with a mask, to hide his true self, and became the Masked Mage. I thought if I could get closer to him, I could save him..."

"But I never had the chance. The Dragon Emperor attacked, and killed him, along with all his forces here, before he could follow Deathjester into the Holyland. My father died in disgrace, but finally he was free. I hid in the forest outside, but was ashamed to go back, not knowing whether or not I would be accepted again.

"The Dragon Emperor now holds the Sword of Mana, but the Dark Prince is biding his time, building his power as more death builds up in this world. I do not know who may be the more dangerous, but I can tell you the Dark Prince uses only the underworld's power. It was the Dark Prince who returned Deathjester to the underworld. The Dragon Emperor may be content to leave the underworld to the Dark Prince, but I think the demons wish to take the underworld into the overworld. The prince of Rolante they kidnapped will be their leader's new body."

"Elliott," Lise breathed.

"Rescuing Elliott will not stop the Dark Prince's plans altogether," Heath told them, "but if he can take on a new, young body, I think he may be invincible. I met them all, at one time or another... Koren... Bigieu... the Darkshine Knight... Deathjester... Jagan... all using the Stones for evil."

Carlie had kept patiently quiet the whole time Heath had talked, but now she couldn't hold it in any longer. "We can stop them!" she cried, hoping he would feel better just thinking about it. "The Goddess is on our side, she gave us the Gift of Mana and everything! They can't beat us with Her help!"

"I can see Her in you, Carlie," Heath said, now sitting up weakly to put an arm around her. "A Bishop... I had hoped to achieve such myself, I would have joined you if I could, but I think it is too late, so you will have to take my place. I think it was when I unsealed the Stone of Light that I lost my holiness."

"Didn't we suspect that the Dark Prince now made his home north of Rolante?" asked Duran, while Carlie's attention remained focused on Heath.

"Yes, and I think we'll find my brother there. We go there next." Lise's tone was not shy, all queenly presence now, and her friends did not argue when she spoke that way.

"Heath... Grampa is really sick..." Carlie squeezed out.

"So I have heard," Heath replied. "I can help him, Carlie. I am one of the only ones who know how. I don't know how much I can do as I am now, but I will try."

"You will?" Carlie looked up at Heath with hope, and he nodded. She looked expectantly at her friends. "We have to get him back to Wendel! As fast as possible!"

"I don't think that will be a problem," Lise told her soothingly.

"We'll have you back to Wendel in a few hours, Heath," promised Duran.

--

They helped the weakened Heath onto Flammie with them, the dragon squeezing awkwardly into courtyard of the Mirage Palace. Kevin gave her instructions, and true to Duran's word, less than two hours later, they were landing in front of the Temple of Light.

Kevin, the strongest of all, helped the young Priest off the dragon, half-dragging him forward by the right arm. Carlie squeezed herself under Heath's left arm, to give him whatever support she could, and Heath stumbled into the Temple with their aid.

The clerics of the Temple bowed reverentially as they entered the Temple, none questioning where Heath had been, or why he had returned now. _They must have assumed he was somewhere doing the High Priest's work_, thought Lise, as she led the others into the Temple behind Carlie and Kevin; _if only they knew even half of the truth_. Angela trailed at the very back, making for an interesting procession as they followed up the stairs, all of them from so many different places.

In the upstairs infirmary, the Priest looked no better than when they had last been here, in fact much thinner and sicklier. Heath, even gaunt as he looked, was the picture of health next to the old man. He knelt down to look Carlie in the eye this time. "Charlotte, I can help your Grampa, but I think I will need your help as well. Will you try?"

The little girl only nodded solemnly.

"Then take your Grampa's hand in your right." Carlie obeyed, and Heath placed a hand on the Priest of Light's forehead. "Your Holiness," he murmured, before kneeling on Carlie's opposite side. Lise thought he seemed afraid, as he took Carlie's left hand in both of his.

All the rest stood back respectfully, as the powers of Mana began to build slowly in the room, first like a dull buzz as soft light filled the room, slowly centering on Heath and the older Priest.

"Do you know what they are doing?" Lise whispered to Paladin beside her.

"There's the magic of Lumina in it," he replied, "but it's certainly not healing. I couldn't do anything like this myself."

"I feel some of Shade, and Luna as well," Angela murmured behind them. "Perhaps all eight elements are in it."

The dark element was the second to show itself, twisting with the soft white light, each complementing, not destroying, the other. Other colors, other elements infiltrated the flows, the elements swirled together in peaceful coexistence, drifting from Heath, drifting from the Priest, creeping towards the center to encompass Carlie, standing serenely in between the two. Slowly, the flows from each side met to join -

The thunderclap that erupted shook the walls around them. Lise shrieked involuntarily, and Hawk threw his arms around her.

"What's _happening_?" yelled Duran, as the colors roiled wildly. It looked like a Mana Stone had been released right in that room.

"Lise, it's too dangerous, you can't stop it!" Lise hadn't realized she had been struggling against Hawk, until she heard Angela's voice, and settled back reluctantly, she still burning to stop whatever had been unleashed. Heath was aging before them, hair thinning and wrinkles forming on the skin of the pale young man.

"It's true, Lise," Hawk whispered in her ear. "Heath is dying before us, but Carlie will be the one who dies if we interfere." She turned her head from Hawk's chest to glance at Kevin, the beastman only looking quietly sad.

Abruptly, the Priest of Light sat up, and let go of Carlie's hand. The chaos disappeared within seconds. "Grampa!" Carlie wailed, jumping on the bed to throw her arms around him.

Together, they turned to look at Heath next to them. He was still breathing, but, Lise realized with a bit of horror, he looked easily ten years older.

The Priest of Light slowly stood, taking his granddaughter's hand in his own, to lean over the still-younger man, as Lise and the others approached with trepidation. Heath fell to his knees beside them.

The Priest placed one aged hand on Heath's silver-white hair. "Heath, you silly boy. Why did you make such a sacrifice?"

"It was the only way, your Excellency," Heath spoke from the floor.

"I am an old man, and if it was my time to go to the Goddess, then so be it." The Priest's expression was kindly, but Heath only looked at him with pain and guilt in his eyes.

"But it was more than that, your Holiness. It was the only way I could give something back to the Goddess. It was my only path to redemption."


	42. Cats and Dogs

**42. CATS AND DOGS (LISE)**

Carlie cried, wanting to stay with Heath. It was only Hawk who could talk to the girl. "Remember what Heath asked you to do," he said, and the girl finally agreed to go, swallowing her tears.

They accepted the Priest's invitation to stay in the Temple of Light, overruling the determined Lise, who was ready to go to the Dark Castle right then. It was only Hawk's soothing words that slowly calmed her down and convinced her it would be foolhardy to leave so exhausted. Nevertheless, she was the last one to sleep that night, for once, and Hawk woke up several times that night as she tossed and turned, sleeping poorly for fear of what happened to her brother.

--

As Flammie coasted somewhere above the ocean north of Rolante, they didn't need to be told they were nearing the Dark Castle. Despite it being well short of midday, the increasingly murky sky told them all they needed to know.

Most of the large island was craggy mountain peaks that made landing anywhere near their goal dangerous, if not impossible. They finally settled for landing close to sea level, in a woodsy clearing. Before them lay a cave mouth, its jagged opening somehow contrived in a way that did not seem natural.

"Perhaps this is the route up through the mountain," surmised Hawk. Lise wasn't even listening, already striding up to the cave gripping her weapon. He had a million types of revenge to want to be here, but she had one reason more, and they deferred to her to lead them forward.

Caves were always dark, but this one somehow seemed darker than most. Even as Angela used a thin stream of Lumina's magic to light their way, some force of the cave itself seemed to want to put the light out.

"I'm not sure what to make of it," answered Angela, when questioned. "There's nothing here I'm familiar with." Hopefully the feeling of dark swallowing them was an illusion, because they did not want to think about the alternatives.

The path meandered steadily upwards, occasionally breaking out into thin ledges than looked into dark valleys below. Angela was not sure if it was better or worse to not see how far it was down. With Lise setting the pace, they pushed hard, and it was well into the night before they called a stop. Lise had tried to insist she could keep going, but her eyes began to close on their own, and by the time they stopped, Hawk had to carry her to their blankets. She was asleep even before he laid her down.

As Hawk gently wrapped the blankets around her to make her comfortable, Kevin looked on. "She pushes herself hard," he commented, quite a statement from a man of a race known for physical discipline.

"She gives her whole self to whatever she does," answered Hawk, smoothing a lock of hair from her sleeping forward. "And I wouldn't have her any other way."

--

Lise woke early, ashamed that she had fallen asleep, even as she knew her body had given in. Cursing every lost minute of time, she sprang from her blankets to wake the rest, pushing everyone to get up, to get moving, to reach the top. Urgency was all that drove her now.

It seemed the journey upwards would never end, but Lise knew her brother was here, and her revenge. She strode ahead, mindless to the fatigue of the others, leaving them no choice but to keep up, and within a couple of hours they were stepping through the doors of the Dark Castle they had been seeking.

Lightning flashed through the dark sky overhead as they pulled open the heavy iron doors, stepping into the interior that was not truly dim, but a brilliant, reflective black, blacker than the sky outside, that had much more presence than mere dim lighting ever could. Lit by fire-pits rather than torches, the mirror-shiny floor seemed to reflect the darkness more than the light.

Carlie looked down at the floor, and her reflection seemed to shimmer out of existence, swallowed into the blackness as well. Lise forced herself to look ahead.

A grand staircase lay ahead of them, flanked by statues of hooded figures wielding heavy axes, Angela wondering aloud what they were. "Like the skull totem… are these intended to be aspects of the Goddess as well - or, something else entirely?" she asked. Something about the foreboding masonry made it a question no one else wanted to answer. The place was afflicted with the same demonic infestation that troubled Navarre, but they made short work of the otherworldly beings. With the boost of the Gift, even Angela and Carlie could easily dispatch the horned beasts with careless swings of weapons, sending them screaming hellaciously back to their otherwordly origins, until larger ornamental doors on the second level caused them to pause uncertainly. Looks passed throughout the party.

"A big fancy room... isn't that were we usually find them?" mused Duran.

"Kevin, the doors, if you please," asked Lise. She got into position, then nodded.

Kevin swung the tall door open to hit the wall behind with a crash, and Lise jumped through, spear before her, with Duran right behind her, sword flashing.

Nothing. No one. Absolute stillness.

Lise drooped in disappointment, as the rest of the party entered, spreading through the dark throne room to search for any sign of their target. It only took a few minutes for them to give up the hunt. "Lise," Angela told her, "I'm sorry, I really don't feel anything here different from the rest of the place."

"I thought we were so close to our goal," Lise murmured to no one in particular, "but now…." She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"We keep going," Hawk finished for her. "There's plenty more of this castle to look through."

--

Past the first floors, the path through the castle led steadily upward until the found themselves on the wind-swept battlements, an angry hurricane sweeping over them. Lise shuddered. "This is no ordinary wind," she declared. "That sings. This screams."

To the east, a lone tower perched precariously over the cliff, its sheer isolation speaking of importance. They opened the small, nondescript doors and stealthily crept through into a small anteroom, to find a staircase in the corner leading back to the level below.

The darkness pressed on them as they descended. It was that, even more than the strange feeling Mana had here, that was giving Angela the creeps, and the feeling was not relieved when the stairs ended in a room dominated by two giant flame-pits. Angela could have sword she saw demonic faces in those flames, the flickering visages reminding her of none other than...

Sure enough, there was Bigieu, lying seductively on a chaise in between those heads of fire.

It was Hawk who stepped forward first, even as Lise's grip on her weapon tightened and her eyes took on a half-crazed gleam. The voluptuous sorceress barely acknowledged their presence. She smiled lasciviously, and shifted her body languidly with a swish of clinging desert robes. "You children destroyed the God-Beasts all by yourselves. The Dark Prince wanted me to convey to you his gratitude..."

"Oh? and why would _that_ be?" Hawk said, sarcastically.

Bigieu barely batted an eye as the six of them filed into the room. "My Dark Prince... he wanted to bring the underworld unto the overworld... those sealed away by the Goddess... You understand that the Goddess cannot be allowed to live?" Even as her languid manner remained, her eyes showed a hint of fanaticism. Between her and Lise, the situation was a powder keg.

"But Koren has the Sword," Angela protested.

"And when he dies, my master will become stronger from his death too. The Masked Mage, the Dragon Emperor - all will be defeated who continue to try to use the pathetic power of Mana. Death magic is the magic of the underworld. It is the opposite of Mana. With every weakening of the Goddess for the last thousand years, my master has been there to exploit the cracks in Mana, to profit from the Goddess's imminent death... It is how we summoned the Stone of Darkness, and set the Stone itself to seek you out, to hunt you, so the power of all the God-Beasts would be returned to the Sword to serve us. We can finally merge the worlds together, under the leadership of the Dark Prince! You did your part to advance our cause... and now you may die here, with honor!"

Hawk pulled his knives menacingly. "I don't think so! Bigieu! This is the end!"

"This is for my father!" Lise's spear was at the ready beside him.

"Hahaha... you are indeed a skilled young man, Hawk. And you, Queen Rieszella, you will go to any lengths for your kingdom. It must have taken great power for you to defeat the eight God-Beasts. But that means nothing now. I will defend the Dark Prince with my life. He is all I have!"

She leaped up from her seat, and crouched onto hands and knees, arching her back up and forward. She raised her head, and her face contorted as silvery fur appeared over her body, her joints writhing impossible as she took on the form of a cat, rearing back onto her hind legs in her new feline form.

"Kevin, is this something like your transformation?" Angela whispered to her companion.

The beastman nodded, and spoke in his growling wolf-voice. "But I have a feeling hers is not natural. It must be part of Bigieu's power from the underworld."

They had no more time for talk, as Bigieu-the-cat pounced.

Hawk dodged, and threw a knife at her with uncanny precision. His deadly weapon took her in the back of the leg, and the cat stumbled as a large bloody gash formed.

"You've hit a tendon!" yelled Duran. "Way to slow her down!"

Bigieu regained her composure quickly, even as her right leg seemed to work a little more awkwardly. She cast a spell, and a cool yellowish light enveloped her extremities.

"Luna's magic," cried Angela, "but what's it for?"

"It steals life!" called back Kevin. "She'll try and repair her own strength from us!" His wolf-voice growled as the wolf ran to confront the cat. Engaging her, he grabbed her in his powerful arms. The cat tried to wiggle, but before she could scrape him with her now-enchanted claws, he whipped her over his head to crush her against the floor. Bigieu rolled and skidded, but she leaped back to her feet with the true balance of a cat.

Angela tried to think. _Cats hate water, right?_ It was worth a shot. She cast. Much like her fireball had been, the water spell she unleashed this time exploded wildly, threatening to veer out of control. Water spilled everywhere, mixed with flying ice that shattered as it hit all four walls.

--

"Careful, Angela!" shouted Hawk. But her spell did the trick. Bigieu emitted a sharp feline shriek as some of that magic hit her, the force knocking her backwards. Duran dove for the opportunity, but as fast and clean as his sword swiped, the agile Bigieu dodged his blows comfortably. Lise's spear, however, caught her as she jumped back, and blood now showed on her back below the silken fur.

Behind Duran stood Carlie, backed up against the wall in fear, it seeming unlikely she could help much - that is, until Bigieu's claws met Kevin, scraping his back this time as he tried to grab. _She learns quick, this one, _thought Hawk. Carlie healed Kevin as quickly as she could, but the scratch had allowed Bigieu to recover, and her back wound knit closed before their eyes.

Nevertheless, wolf-Kevin was making the most progress against cat-Bigieu, until Angela felt the surge of Luna's magic once again. Bigieu jumped back, and Carlie ran towards Kevin as he fell to his knees. "It's like half my energy vanished in an instant..." he wheezed.

Hawk was already running towards Bigieu. _Now it's my turn_, he thought, pushing his anger down to calm until he saw nothing but his foe before him. He darted forward, eager for his chance at her, having so far been unable to get between the beastman and Bigieu. The Nightblade launched himself at sliced their foe in a blur. Quick as she was in her feline form, he was quicker, and as she reared onto her back paws, he danced with the agile cat, slithering out of range of her claws to raze her with his knives. More and more streaks of red appeared in the silver, and her incredible speed began to slow. Though Kevin seemed to have worn her down, it was before Hawk that she faded completely. She bent down onto all fours, and tensed backward as if to pounce. Her legs bent, shaking, a spring waiting to explode, and Hawk shifted into a defensive posture, prepared to dodge and retaliate. But as she prepared to propel herself forward, her legs collapsed underneath her, her muscles finally tearing through completely.

He flinched back as the cat faded to the figure of the yellow-haired sorceress, now on hands and knees next to one of the roaring fires. Rips showed in her clothes where Hawk had sliced her cat-skin, and human blood stained her silks.

Bigieu's expression showed fear, but she recovered her composure, and spoke in honeyed tones.

"Hawk," she positively purred. "Why do we have to fight this way? I could show you pleasure you've never known, like no other woman... You'll never think of Jessica again..." She stretched a hand tentatively towards his foot.

This must be her last, desperate effort, he thought. He felt sorry for her.

As she tried to appeal to his baser instincts, suddenly her head was yanked back as Lise grabbed a fistful of hair, pulling the woman to her feet and towards her.

Unable to many clear shots in the fight, Lise now thirsted for revenge. The expression Hawk saw on her face was like nothing he had ever seen from his beloved. She could be righteously angry, yes, but this time she looked positively cruel. Idly he noticed the elaborate braid into which she had plaited her hair was now in disarray with wild strands surrounding her face, giving her a half-crazed appearance. And when she spoke… it was in a soft, sweet voice that made her words all the more chilling.

"You've taken my father, and my brother, slut," she spoke, quietly, but in the hush that had settled over the room, all heard her clearly. "You will not have another man I love." The Amazon put her razor-sharp blade to Bigieu's neck, and pure fear crossed the sorceress's face.

"Lise... I never wanted to take anything from you... you and Hawk... I had no idea..." Bigieu blubbered. "It was all for my Dark Prince... you know how it is to love someone..."

"Wait... who is this 'Dark Prince'? Where did he come from?" Lise inquired, never removing her blade from the woman's throat.

"He was the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Light. The demons of the underworld came to him with an offer... He destroyed his kingdom, and in exchange, the demons made him their ruler." Fanaticism crept into her fear, and Hawk tensed, ready for any sudden move. "He had power, and respect... but at but at the cost of his soul. I thought my love could bring back his soul... Now there is no more for me..."

They never knew if Lise would have indeed slit Bigieu's throat. With a quick jerk of her head against the blade, the woman did it herself. Lise suddenly recoiled as blood suddenly poured out of her neck, and Bigieu collapsed against the floor.

Bigieu breathed her last, gurgling slightly. Hawk stepped carefully forward, looking down at her, watching as he had watched Eagle's last breaths.

It's done. Eagle's vengeance is mine at last, he thought.

Lost in his own dark thoughts, he knelt to put his arm around Lise, who was openly crying now, her anger lost somewhere between mourning and satisfaction. "Father... I've avenged your death..." she cried, turning to bury her head in his tunic.

"Lise," he whispered, as gently as possible through her grief, "you may have avenged your father, but your brother is still alive."

She looked up at him, tears staining her cheeks, and as comprehension set in, resolution crossed her face. "You're right, Hawk," she said, climbing to her feet, pulling Hawk up with her. "I won't be done until we find Elliott. Come on, let's hurry!"

--

It was only a short climb to the highest turret of the castle, but with every step the winds buffeted them, and the azure lightnings struck dangerously close. They pushed forward against the powers of the sky, and reaching the top, they finally saw the Dark Prince, with a little boy of perhaps nine lying unconscious next to him. The boy's eyes stared unseeingly towards the sky.

"Elliott!!" Lise cried. Hawk grabbed her left arm, and with a nod to Kevin, the beastman grabbed her right. Exhausted as they were by Bigieu's spells, it would have been suicide to attack, but Lise saw nothing but what was before her.

The Dark Prince was utterly nonchalant about the new arrivals. "Oh, you're here. That must mean Bigieu has lost... ah. An acceptable loss," he said, barely allowing even inflection to creep into his voice.

Lise squirmed violently against Kevin and Hawk. If it wasn't for Kevin's strength, she would have freed herself already. "Give him back!" she shouted.

"My dear princess, I'm afraid that's not an option.. Elliott was born into royalty... his blood will make a fine substitute for my own." One eyebrow rose, and a bemused smile crossed the Dark Prince's face.

"What!? I... I'll never allow that! How could you?"

Lise was becoming irrational, and Hawk couldn't bring himself to leave her in that state. As she and their enemy shouted insults at each other, he turned his head slowly to Angela. She caught his gaze, and gave him a knowing nod.

"The restoration of the underworld is nigh at hand..." The Dark Prince babbled on, but Hawk was no longer listening.

The castle shook to its foundations as Angela's explosion blasted the Dark Prince to the ground.

Hawk was running in an instant. He grabbed Lise's brother, the young boy breathing too shallowly to inhale the smoke while the Dark Prince coughed violently. Elliott was about the size of Carlie, whom Hawk had scooped up many a time. Hawk himself held his breath, and jumped over the side. He snatched one of the stone outcroppings to break his fall, then dropped the few feet left to the landing below.

"_Elliott_!" Lise screamed, and he glimpsed her face above through the clearing smoke.

"Lise! I'm alright!" shouted Elliott, the young boy suddenly jarred back to sensibility.

Through the billowing smoke, Lise emerged at the bottom of the stairs, running towards her brother and throwing her arms around him in a fierce embrace. "Elliott, I've looked for you for so long," she breathed. She let tears flow freely, and the boy was not holding back either, sniveling in the way nine-year-old boys could still get away with.

Hawk allowed them their tender reunion, turning to his other companions as they proceeded down the stairs at a somewhat more leisurely pace. He barely heard, "Sis, who was that man who grabbed me..." before addressing the rest.

"Where is he?" Hawk asked. No need to say who _he _was.

"The bad guy disappeared," announced Carlie.

"He was just gone, not even a flash of light. I couldn't figure out what sort of magic he was using," added Angela.

"So, where next?" wondered Kevin. He addressed it to Angela, but the mage barely seemed to hear.

"Angela?" Duran prodded the woman at his side.

Angela remained silent for a moment. "I saw three locations in that tablet in Pedan," she finally said. "We've been to two. The third, I know where it is. It's Dragon's Hole, on an island due west of Altena."

"Dragon's Hole... that's where my father and Richard went to fight the Dragon Emperor," Duran mused, his hurt only briefly flickering across his face this time. "I thought he was dead, but… if Koren is working for him… is it possible he's there still?"


	43. Ghosts of the Past

**43. GHOSTS OF THE PAST (DURAN)**

The Altenan castle had become accustomed to Angela dropping in for only a night, and the servants didn't blink an eye as they paused for the night before the journey to the island off the western Altenan shores. Angela even managed to avoid most of her advisors with an early-morning departure, and the Glass Desert sparkled in the morning sun, only a few minute's dragon flight outside the city of Altena.

Beautiful, but dead, the Glass Desert was. No life thrived here as no plants had evolved to subsist on the silicon soil. The hush settled over them as soon as Flammie departed, and it made for a quiet climb uphill, the blood-red mountain known as Dragon's Hole lurking on the horizon ahead. The sparkling sand had already begun to fade into crimson rocks when they called a halt for the night. The party was uneasy, though. Something about the place seemed strange, Mana weirdness or not. Perhaps it was something about being in an environment where no life thrived...

"But there is life," Angela objected. "The mountain is absolutely infested with dragons."

"Oh, goody," muttered Hawk. "Maybe they're living off Mana itself."

"But that's not _really _life," Carlie insisted. They didn't know if it was their experiences, or the Gift of Mana, or something else together; but, despite her youthful demeanor, the girl was developing a disturbingly sharp mind. "_Real _dragons, like Flammie, are of the Goddess, but these dragons are monsters."

"Monsters," mused Lise. "There's more and more, all the time…"

Monsters, the corruption of the holy creations of the Goddess. If they had needed further proof Mana was fading, there was no better sign.

--

It was on Undine's day that they entered the fiery pit of Dragon's Hole… but their way was not unobstructed.

They were greeted by a knight in black armor. They had seen the knight before. "You've finally arrived... but you will go no further!" the deep voice intoned from behind the black helm, regarding the group before turning to address one of their own.

"Duran... give up. The Dragon Emperor has already regained his power. You can't stop him!"

Duran started uncomfortably, but courage took over as he jumped ahead of the group. "Hey, who the hell are _you_ to tell me I can't do something?" he hollered right back. "I'm here to avenge my father!"

The Darkshine Knight straightened. "Duran… I had wished to spare you… but in the case you resisted me, I have been ordered to tell you the truth." Duran gripped his sword silently, and the mysterious figure continued. "Duran... I _am_ your father!"

Angela drew in breath. Even after all she had seen, could this be true?

Duran lost himself in blind rage, Paladin or not, voice roaring across the cavern. "What... What the hell are you talking about? My father is dead!"

"Not exactly, Duran. I fell into a bottomless pit, and nobody ever found my body..." The black knight responded calmly, his voice measured. "The Dragon Emperor thought I was a worthy competitor, so he revived me. Now I work for him. I am his bound dragoon, I have no choice." Duran lowered his sword, and a pained look replaced the anger on his face. "Duran... my son... come here. I haven't seen you in so long..." The deep voice softened into gentle affection.

"Father?" Duran asked. He took a tentative step forward.

That was all the signal Angela needed. She lurched forward. "Duran! Don't! It's a trick!" Duran looked back at her, a look of abject desperation.

"It's not a trick. You'll be safer on our side. Join us, Duran!" The dark knight - Loki - stepped towards Duran.

"Which do you want, him or me?!" Angela screamed. She had no idea where that came from. Duran's expression became faraway for a moment, and she wondered if this would be the moment when she lost him. Then determination, courage, the emotions she knew were at his core, filled him, their mark across his face. He raised his sword to turn to the figure that might have been once his father.

"My father _did_ die! He was a Knight of Gold! He'd _never_ join the Dragon Emperor!" There was heat in Duran's voice, but also strength.

"Then it is settled. I'm sorry, Duran, but I must stop you at all costs." The knight raised his sword, but he did not swipe at Duran. Instead, he drove his sword before him into the rock of Dragon's Hole, the stone yielding as water.

The entire cavern began to shake. No ordinary earthquake, as rocks began to crash all around them. Angela had been knocked flat on her back in that first lurch of the earth, and looked up to see boulders crashing in on her. Reaching up, her instinct channeled wind magic almost before the thought had formed, and the stones slowed, as if suddenly moving through jelly. Another mental surge, and they bounced harmlessly to the floor of the cavern around her.

She bent her arms to push herself upwards, and as she stood, she was relieved to see that no one else had been buried under the landslide. Wind magic still coursing through her blood, she swept one arm through the air towards the Darkshine Knight, and the power of the Magus cast a violent lightning strike. The man recoiled as it hit him square in the chest.

--

Duran saw Angela's lightning strike, and was briefly optimistic as he saw it hit the thing that had once been his father; but the lightning crackled over the armor, but seemed to dissipate harmlessly, the dark knight standing there as whole as before.

He dug into his memories. His father had been a swordmaster in life, but it seemed that in death, the forces of dark had only magnified his killing powers. Fortunately, he had a way to deal with the dark. He bent down to look Carlie in the eye.

She nodded slightly, but motioned him close. "You won't win so easily," she warned him. His sword filled with the power of Lumina.

Despite her warning, he fed the full flames of his anger into his stroke. Not the uncontrolled fury he had once had, but the frustration, the desperation, the sadness. The Darkshine Knight turned to meet him, and he struck. Dark energy met light, in a shower of sparks. He saw Kevin, Lise, Hawk poised to join him, but he called to them. "No! I'll do this myself! This is _my_ fight!"

They held back, ready to jump in if he fell. He hoped it would not come to that. His holy-enchanted blade danced with the dense blackness of the blade before him. He lost himself in the battle, forgetting who his opponent was.

The Darkshine Knight was driving him hard, whirling his sword with a master's precision. In the back of his head, he remembered the rumors of his father's skill with a blade. He had never expected to encounter it firsthand, though, as he was gradually pushed backwards through the cavern.

The first hit clanged harmlessly against his armor, but the second sliced into his sword arm. Not a deep cut, but the third swipe cleaved deeply into his legs. He returned to merely defending, giving him a moment of respite to heal himself. As he felt the skin knit together, he had a thought.

His father had never been a user of magic. Once, Duran would have considered that a dishonorable advantage, but Angela had made him see the possibilities. He had seen her drive power through her staff, but had never tried the same through his sword. He had only Lumina to depend on, after all.

He fed his energy, his frustration, into his weapon, and released the energy as he sung. Light flashed through the cavern from his blade, and as it made contact, the Mana brought the dark knight to his knees before him, head bowed, a sliver of bare neck exposed.

_One stroke, and it would be done;_ but Duran suddenly realized that part of his enemy was still his father. He looked for his anger, the fury he needed to end it, and found only emptiness, and sadness hiding even within that. He hadn't remembered raising his sword for the killing blow, but now it wavered in midair, his hands shaking.

He lowered his sword, ashamed that he could not finish his opponent yet proud that he had been able to step back. Carlie appeared beside him. Where had she come from? She knelt to the cavern floor, mindless to the dirt on her pale blue robe. Something in her presence calmly informed him that she was taking over, and he could only watch.

She leaned forward, hands clasped as if in prayer, Mana filtering into her. The spell the Bishop cast was one she had only used once before, to turn the undead, but he recognized it nonetheless. The cave darkened until nothing but Carlie was visible. She knelt to put her hand on the head of the Darkshine Knight.

--

The black armor shimmered, and shrunk into a million pieces, just as the God-Beasts had, revealing an auburn-haired man Angela had seen before. In Pedan.

"Father!" Duran's voice trembled. _So it _was_ true_. Loki, the once-Knight-of Gold, who had died for his king, was insubstantial, ghostly, a shade of the man he must have been in life, but the courage, the courage he had passed on to his son, that she could see vividly as he spoke.

"Duran... my son... thank you... for releasing my cursed soul... You're very strong, but I must warn you... The Dragon Emperor's strength is unmatched..." The image seemed to waver.

"Father, wait!" Duran reached forward, but touched nothing but air.

"The path of the sword is a difficult one, Duran... but never give up. A sword shows its wielder's heart. Have faith in yourself..."

Loki's eyes flickered, and settled on _her_. "My son... and Valda's daughter..." Angela felt her jaw drop, and an odd smile crept across Loki's face as his spirit faded away.

"Wait! Don't go!" Duran cried, but Loki had already gone.

Duran drove his sword into the ground, hands crossed over the pommel, forehead placed on hands as he knelt in the red dirt of the cavern. "Father... I'll defeat him for doing this to you. Koren... and the Dragon Emperor..." His voice was neutral, devoid of anger; he was just announcing something that had to be done. A moment, and he raised his face, allowing anger to creep through. "You're both mine, bastards," he announced to the air, before letting anger drain once again.

As Duran gazed solemnly down at the place where his father's spirit had left the world, Angela slipped casually under his arm. Duran's expression was blank.


	44. The Sword is No More

**44. THE SWORD IS NO MORE (ANGELA)**

With their guard removed from the way, they finally entered the red mountain of Dragon's Hole. They had been expecting another dark trip like the one up to the Dark Castle, but the mountain was honeycombed with small holes that let in natural light. Quartz deposits in the walls refracted the light, diffusing it into a hundred sparkling rays.

It might have been very beautiful, if it hadn't been for all the dragons.

Everywhere they turned, there they were, scurrying underfoot, though no larger than the bulk of the monsters they had encountered. They were easily dispatched, but the sheer proliferation of the creatures meant that it was slow going, and the paths through the mountain itself seemed to go on forever.

As they entered a hallway not far from the opening, Angela gasped and flattened against the wall. The only thing they could see in front of them was a rabite, not in the usual yellow but this one jet black; but they knew her well enough to know that she must have sensed something to get so worked up. Duran had already raised his sword up in a gesture that was now instinctive when he sensed Angela might be in danger.

"What is it, Angela?" asked Lise.

"You don't understand... it's the legendary Black Rabite! I was afraid we might find it here!"

"What, this little thing?" Hawk teased. "It's even smaller than the rest. Have you lost it, Angela?"

Angela knew they didn't understand. "It might look like nothing, but the Black Rabite has legendary magic powers! It can use every spell known in Altena, and then some!" She squealed as Hawk bent down to get a closer look. The Black Rabite jumped and snapped at him.

Then, without warning, Hawk brought his boot down on the creature, who squealed in pain.

Angela flinched at the pile of rabite innards now spilled over the floor. And that was the end of the Black Rabite.

--

After that terrifying confrontation, they continued their meandering through Dragon's Hole. With no real idea of where in the maze of passages Koren might be hiding, they were searching blind, counting on Hawk's memory to keep them from getting lost. They hoped he was not bluffing when he said he knew exactly the way out, especially when day turned into night, and again, and again.

It was the fifth day - the Holy Day - when they found themselves in a new part of the caverns, descending deeper and deeper. Kevin, in particular, looked increasingly uncomfortable as the path led steadily downwards, his gaze flickering upwards towards every stray path of sunlight.

It wasn't the light above, but the light visible up ahead kept them moving forward, until finally their efforts were rewarded as they broke into a cavern brilliantly lit by sunlight from above. Looking up, they saw a large hole, hundreds of yards above them, and for the first time in days they saw the midday sun directly. Carlie squinted to look up at it.

"As near as I can figure, we're in the center of the mountain," Hawk said. "Just a long way down."

"Is this where Koren's hiding?" wondered Duran.

"Look!" Angela called, running ahead excitedly. "Isn't that a door in the rock?"

Who knew how and when a door had been built this deep into the mountain, but it positively begged to be opened. Duran reached the door next, and tugged hard at the handle. Despite showing few outward signs over the last few days, Angela suspected he was more eager than ever for revenge after learning the fate of his father, and his impatience now only validated her guess.

She couldn't fault him. As worried as Angela was about her own mother, as far as she knew Valda was still alive, and she would keep thinking that way until she found out otherwise.

A few strained pulls by Duran, and the door opened with an argumentative squeal, as if it had not been opened in many years. _Maybe Koren just walked right through it, _she thought. Beyond, torches lit what was clearly an entrance chamber, as fine as any palace, as was the stairs before them.

Voices hushed as they climbed, emerging into not a throne room, but a turret, open to an enormous cavern. Far above them, a straight exit out of the mountain, leading up and out at a steep angle, was clearly visible. A clearly man-made railing separated the paved area from a sheer drop below. And inside the chamber… was the evil countenance of Koren.

A figure stood on the barrier above him, a blond man who looked not terribly unlike Koren himself. Maybe it was the matching expressions of questionable sanity. The stranger wore a long, blood-red robe, and an odd crown she'd never seen before, wing-like protrusions at the side and a golden dragon-tail down his back. Both turned at their arrival.

--

"You're finally here," Koren greeted them, "but I'm afraid it's too late. The Dragon Emperor has already gained the power of the eight God-Beasts... now, it's time to witness his final transformation!"

"I don't care about that! I'm here to pound you into the ground." Duran had expected to be filled with anger upon finally reaching the wizard; but after all this time, all they had been through, only a strange deathly calm penetrated his soul.

Meanwhile, Angela had the anger for them both. "Give back my mother. Now!" she yelled ferociously, brandishing staff in the air with a move of her body that swirled her cloak around her ankles. Temper burned in her eyes.

"You know that's not going to happen, Angela dear, so why are you complaining about it?" Koren's tone exuded utter scorn, and an overtone of sadism. "Your precious mother is going to be the first sacrifice to the reborn Dragon Emperor! He eagerly awaits the painful death of the Grand Divina!"

"Let them be, Koren." said the man behind Koren, in a harsh, deep voice. "That will happen soon enough. Let them witness this moment... the moment I am reborn." He pulled a familiar item out of his cloak. "In this sword lies the power of the eight God-Beasts."

A crackle of light, reminiscent of the released Mana Stones, flickered across the cavern, reflecting faintly off the blood-red walls. The Sword itself seemed to fade…

"No! The Sword!" cried the Fairy, as the implement disappeared.

The rasping voice laughed, a sound like sword scraped against stone. "The Sword... is no more. Its dark power now rests in me!"

"You've done it! My lord, your power now surpasses that of the Goddess herself!" Koren paused in his adulations. "My lord...?"

The Dragon Emperor seemed to be cringing away, but from what, Duran could not see. "The light... Such intense... light... I can't... see..." He knelt on the railing, hands suddenly to his head, fingers covering his eyes. Duran felt… something… indeterminate, eternal, indescribable.

"_What?" _the Dragon Emperor cried, snarling. "It's _you_! Goddess... you never know when to give up! This foolish attempt to stop me will fail, as well! You leave me no choice! I'll cut down the Mana Tree, and that will be the end of it!"

Angela heard gasps behind her, and only the thinnest veneer of composure kept her from doing the same. The Tree… the Goddess herself… in danger….

"Go ahead... I'll stay here and eliminate these pests!" Koren announced.

"Don't be long..." and with that, the Dragon Emperor transformed into a dragon, only moderately larger than the mountain's general population, and flapped his wings to leave through the exit visible above.

Angela stepped forward, staff flailing. Not a terribly effective weapon, but it made her feel stronger to do so. "Manipulating my mother from the shadows, bringing shame to Altena... Even if my mother dies, you'll have to deal with _me_ as Queen!"

"That's if you live as well, Angela. My sweet princess... willing to die for her beloved country! Well, let's get this over with." And with no further warning, he cast.

Angela sent water magic against the giant fireball he released. A shower of ice hit it. The temperature of the cavern jumped as the two spells collided, releasing an enormous amount of steam that sizzled its way upward. A flicker of doubt crossed his face, and she understood. He had the power of a Black Magus, but had never expected to face another. Especially not Angela, the disgraced Princess who could not use magic.

She fought back, and lightning struck towards Koren. The stone shield that appeared around him absorbed the crackling energy, and as rocks fell harmlessly to the ground, her spell was gone. Now it was Angela's turn to look doubtful, though she hoped she had not let it show as he had. They were evenly matched, and with both channeling the chaotic power of the Magus, neither could plan a way to overcome the other. They could just stand here canceling each other's spells all night. How could she tip the balance?

--

Lise stood back. They all did. The first barrage of spells had convinced them they would not be able to get anywhere near Koren. In that war of magic… anyone caught in the crossfire would all be destroyed in an instant.

It seemed the fight was going to be all about magic, but even sidelined to the defensive, Lise knew what to do. Letting Undine's magic fill her in a now-familiar pattern, she reached out as if to touch Angela, though there were yards of space between them. She felt awkward, as if she was stretching past where her arms could reach, but gritted her teeth and forced herself to push a little further, finally releasing the spell release into the air. Angela, having just had her own enormous fireball destroyed by a sheet of water, straightened. She turned to look at Lise, a questioning expression on her face.

--

Lise nodded in acknowledgment, and Angela smiled a tiny, knowing smile as she turned back to Koren.

The earthquake she created next, much stronger than before, felt as if the whole cavern was about to fall in on them. Koren drove off some of the rocks with wind, but he was not strong enough to get them all, and as one medium-size boulder smashed into his leg, he winced. He looked angry now.

Angela exulted. She was stronger than him, and she loved the feeling.

Koren's next fireball was even smaller than she had anticipated. She only realized it was a feint when she felt the next spell, right behind it. She could not counterattack quickly enough before the lightnings branched out, this time at Lise.

--

Lise had only a split second to realize that Koren had turned his attention to her, angry over what she had done for Angela. She hit the ground flat on her back, the breath knocked out of her, wondering how badly her skin had been burnt, until she looked up to see Hawk's eyes, his body lying over her where he had pushed her out of the way in the nick of time.

"Guess I really am faster than lightning now," he grinned.

Lise gave him a smile back, then calmly pushed him off her with the strength that belied her deceptively slender frame. He rolled off with a grunt, and she smiled in amusement. Her smile died as she saw the rocks where she had been standing. Or rather, the lack of rock. The cave wall there had been obliterated, and rocks now littered the floor around where the lightning had struck.

She shuddered. That could have been her.

"It's time to take the magic down on this guy," Hawk said grimly. "Angela, some ice, if you would!"

Angela nodded, and an icy landslide poured towards Koren. A fireball quickly reduced the avalanche to steam, and as his flames struck, Hawk's smaller fire spell snuck through stealthily, catching the wizard by surprise as it picked up strength from his own magic. Koren's clothes were only singed, but he grabbed the railing to steady himself. If that was not enough, his next puny fireball was enough to show Hawk's spell had weakened the wizard where it hurt.

"All you, Angela!" Hawk called.

"Thanks, buddy!" She stepped a couple steps closer to Koren, letting her own cruel smile cross her face. "Now _what _was that you told me you were going to do to me in Altena, Koren?"

--

Koren did not respond, barely holding himself up as is. He now looked at the Princess of Altena with crazed hate.

Angela felt Lise's magic blaze all around her, just in the nick of time, as Koren somehow pulled out the energy for one final spell. Angela knew immediately that he was drawing on all of the elements at once.

"Look out!" she cried, but there was nowhere to run. What rained through the cavern was not rocks this time, but meteors. It was one of the most ancient spells, and the most powerful and uncontrollable. Duran's arm suddenly crushed her to him and pulled her to the ground; he enveloped her slender form as his left arm braced the shield over them both.

She saw Kevin go down, several of the burning rocks hitting him square in the chest with enormous force. If the spell had been its full strength, the beastman would be dead in an instant, but she saw Carlie running to him; if he had lived, the Bishop could help him. There was nothing she could do for him now anyway.

--

Carlie saw Duran raise his shield over himself and Angela, and it gave her an idea. She didn't know exactly what she did, but the meteors bounced harmlessly off the magic shield she had placed around herself. Duran and Angela crouched to the ground, and even as Duran's arm tensed to hold the shield over them both, it seemed to be working, as the meteors clanged against it.

But she saw Kevin, unprotected from the attack, hit badly, and in an instant was running over to him.

He was in human form, meaning the burning rocks had encountered raw skin. He flinched from her touch, gritting his teeth though obviously in pain. The burns were nasty, and she thought bones were broken too. Even with all the power she could muster, the healing itself would still be painful.

She placed her tiny hand in his big one. She knew it wasn't necessary to touch the person being healed, but it seemed to make them feel better, and she was going to need Kevin to hang in there long enough for her to do her work. Or he would die before she was done.

"Kevin, I can fix it, but it's going to hurt. You'll stay with me, okay?" The beastman nodded, looking at her with silent trust.

As she began, his grip tightened on her hand so tightly she feared he might break her own bones. But she ignored her own pain, engrossed in her work. _Duran would have never been able to fix Kevin,_ she thought, his injuries were too complex, and she began working slowly, from the inside out.

He flinched despite himself as his crushed ribs knitted back together, and the large bone of his leg straightened from the unnatural angle it had been at. Carlie could feel all the numerous tiny fractures that had appeared, and fixed those next. She felt the internal bleeding stop, and the beastman convulsed, chest heaving from the shock.

Now onto the burns. She spread the spell out to cover his entire skin at once, to finish it as quickly as possible. He stopped holding back then, and his howl echoed through the cavern as Carlie watched skin healing before her eyes. As the last burn faded, the howl seemed to linger in the air, as Kevin gasped for breath. But it was okay now, Carlie knew, he was healed, he would survive.

--

Angela had been working her way through the rotation of spells, as Koren fought back ever more weakly, each of her attacks ever more powerful, each of his counterattacks progressively more pathetic. Gleefully, she knew she was wearing him down.

Her concentration was interrupted by the howl that erupted from Kevin, a howl that made her hair stand on end, and her emotions spiked wildly, even for her. Her eyes blazed as she looked back at Koren. He could throw spells her way all day long for all she cared, but he had hurt one of her friends… and for that, he would be punished until he begged for mercy.

Fury filled her, and she fed every bit of the blazing emotion towards the magic of Shade. Her vision dimmed; all she could see was her enemy, all she could feel was the spell. The darkness filled her, but she was unafraid; this was not the terrifying dark of the unknown, but untainted and unadulterated dark element, in its own way as clean and pure as the brightest light. The Mana flowed cleanly through her, and the dark force emerged to focus on the figure before her. Koren was barely hanging on by a thread, as the dark Mana centered on him. Midnight spears drove into him, dozens, hundreds, and she saw his face contort in pain before the black mass obliterated him from view.

When the light returned, Koren had the pale grey look of someone several days dead, lying on his back staring at the ceiling of the cavern above.

But he was still breathing.

She advanced toward Koren, but Duran's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Let me finish it, Angela."

--

Angela let him step forward, knowing it was his fight as well. He knelt by the wizard's broken body, and Koren spoke, straining for every word, every breath.

"How... how could I lose?" he wheezed. "My master's power… is absolute!"

"Give it up, Koren! The powers of the other side have failed you!" Duran searched for the anger he had saved all this time for Koren, and could not find it.

"I just wanted... to use magic... that's all..." The defeated wizard was now crying like a baby. "The Dragon Emperor told me... that I would be the most powerful wizard that ever lived... All what he wanted... a piece of my soul! Just a piece! But look at what I've become, without that piece... I don't even deserve to live..."

He grabbed Duran's arm. "Finish it, Duran. You're a Paladin, let me die from the soldier of the Goddess. Maybe it will let my soul return to the light."

"I only know one way to do it." Duran nodded to his right, and Carlie ran up at his unspoken summon. At her touch, his sword glowed as before with the pure white light of Lumina.

Angela knelt by the prostrate body of the man who had caused her so much pain. Unbidden, she suddenly placed hand against his forehead, her feelings mixed. As much as she had wanted his death, he had been a presence in Altena, in her mother's and her own lives, for many years, and it was like losing a part of her history.

Koren turned his head to look at the Altenan princess. His last words were, "Nice knowing you, Angela," as Duran's holy sword plunged into his heart.

Koren's eyes were already glazing over in death, as Duran pulled his sword out, the blood staining the blade disappearing with the wizard's life. His expression was empty; he felt hollow inside. There was no pleasure in the death.

Angela joined his side as Duran straightened and stood. The goal that had first joined them together, completed, but as firmly as they were tied together now, this… this fight… it had lost much of its luster along the way.

"Victory... Somehow doesn't feel like it." Angela reached for his hand, sharing the sentiment.


	45. The Last Gaze of the Goddess

**45. THE LAST GAZE OF THE GODDESS (HAWK)**

The Fairy had little respect for their moment of silence. "There's not much time left! We need to go to the Holyland! The Goddess is in danger! If the Dragon Emperor cuts down the tree, then Mana will cease to exist! We have to stop him!" Duran and Angela unwittingly nodded in unison, and they turned to leave.

Returning to the anteroom, a figure wandered as if in a daze. A figure very familiar to Angela.

"What is this place?" Valda asked.

"Mother!" Angela cried. She couldn't believe that she had completely forgotten.

Valda turned to her daughter, at first seeming not to recognize her. "Angela! What's going on? Did you sneak out of magic class again? You're the heir to the throne of Altena... you really should know better! I know, it must be difficult for you, not being able to use magic... but don't worry... Every day, I say a prayer to the Goddess... in the hope that you'll learn magic, one day..."

Angela felt the tears in her eyes. Her mother still thought of her as she last remembered her. Who knows what age Valda thought the woman before her was? How long had Koren been using his demonic magics on her? She tried to remember, it hadn't been this way when he first came to Altena, but it was in the last year or three that it had changed, when Koren became the one in control and her mother became another person... But Koren was dead now, and she had her mother back, and that was all that mattered. She threw her hands around Valda, who seemed surprised at first, but slowly returned the embrace. "Mother, Mother!"

"What's wrong, Angela? Are these your friends?" Valda's eyes flickered, clarity showing briefly only to escape yet again, perhaps from the magic, perhaps from simple shock. It didn't matter.

Angela pulled away slowly, and spoke carefully. "Yes, Mother, they're friends... and they've come to help me take you home."

--

They didn't have much time, but Valda could not be left behind.

Flammie somehow heard the drum that called her even deep within the mountain, and the exit the Dragon Emperor had used gave more than enough room for her to enter. Good thing, too. Forced to backtrack days through Dragon's Hole, they never would make it to the Holyland in time.

With Kevin urging Flammie to more speed, they barreled towards Altena. A quick check by Carlie, and she told Angela there was nothing wrong with Valda that she could fix, but all the same Angela's mother did not look much better than when they had found Jessica. Consciousness slowly returned to the Queen of Altena, and Angela held her mother's head in her lap, stroking violet hair the same as her own, while Valda closed her eyes. Valda did not sleep, however, and Angela gave her a highly abridged version of events, as she herself leaned back against Duran's shoulder for support.

"Did that really happen? I don't recall any of it." Valda's eyes fluttered open briefly to look her daughter in the eye. "This is quite a shock... I can't believe I'd do such a thing, even under Koren's spell..."

"It's okay, Mother," Angela said soothingly, and Valda let her eyelids close again.

Approaching the Altenan palace, Angela sent a hail of minor fireballs against the palace walls. She wasn't sure if they would take that as a signal, or think they were under attack; but either way, it did the trick. As Flammie barreled into the courtyard, it was already filling with mage-soldiers. Pointing fingers showed recognition. "The Queen! It's Valda, and Angela!" Bows appeared all around the dragon.

"There's no time!" Angela shouted. Her retainers jumped at her voice, and scurried to obey as she ordered help for her mother. Within a minute, a litter had been brought for the Queen, and Kevin and Duran together lifted Valda onto it as gently as a child. Valda tried to lift her head wearily, but exhaustion took over and she collapsed against her silken carrier. Before they whisked her away, Angela grabbed her mother's hand, and spoke to her with a confidence she had never felt before.

"Mother... I have to go," she began, afraid yet determined. "I can't let the Dragon Emperor destroy the Mana Tree."

"I understand," Valda said, shutting her eyes. "The gate to the Holyland has begun to close... but there may still be enough time. Be careful. I pray for your safe return."

Angela turned to go, but Valda's voice stopped her. "Daughter..."

The daughter paused to look at the mother, for the first time woman to woman.

"My daughter, you've done a magnificent job. I'm proud..."

--

Angela cared about neither height nor speed this time as Flammie rocketed out of the courtyard, trees whipping in the wind of her takeoff and wind roaring past them, the dragon herself picking up their urgency, leading them to the Holyland for the third time in bare minutes.

As they passed through the gate, no one needed to be told something was very wrong.

The formerly clear blue sky was now as black as night, and streaked wildly with purple lightning, not unlike what they had seen above the Dark Castle. Landing on the ground, they saw the crystal streams ran muddy and brown, and the vegetation it would have nourished was dry and dead. Above and beyond that, they could all _feel _how wrong the Mana was. Was it possible they were too late? In the chaos from the Stones' destruction, was the Goddess barely hanging on?

Angela wouldn't hear of such a thing, even as the others whispered it among themselves. She _couldn't_ allow herself that thought. Where Duran had attained peacefully calm after the death of Koren, Angela was more agitated and determined than ever, and she strode into the dying Holyland with a murderous expression on her face.

She suspected it was too late for the Sword to save the power of Mana. But it could not be left in the hands of their enemy, and that alone was something to fight for.

Flammie had not left them this time. She hovered just above the trees, as if motioning them to follow, leading them through a path that had changed since they had last been there. The route twisted and turned, as convoluted as the Mana itself, and shadows flickered in the bushes around them, strange creatures that seemed to change form every time they looked.

It was at the statue of the Goddess that they caught up to the Dragon Emperor, striding determinedly forward, by some miracle not having yet made it to the Tree itself.

At their approach, he turned, his pale face snarling in hate.

"You again! Well, no matter. If Koren couldn't dispose of you, I'll do it myself." And the body of the Dragon Emperor began to stretch, and change, as they had seen once before.

"He's much bigger this time," observed Hawk. And indeed he was. Whereas in Dragon's Hole, the dragon-form had been not much bigger than the runt dragons seen in the mountain, this time he was substantially bigger than Flammie, who was herself the size of a small house.

"It's the Mana Sword," the Fairy informed them, having flitted ahead of even Angela in her nervousness to check on the tree. "He's absorbing its power even faster than I would have thought."

The dragon towering over them spoke, in words comprehensible to their ears despite the guttural tone. "You can't stop me! Observe, as a new world is born! A world of death, destruction, and chaos..."

Flammie, hovering above and behind the clearing, let out a mournful-sounding call.

--

Duran said nothing, but brought his sword up in a solid, battle-ready stance.

"Is that the way you want it, then?" The dragon's beady eyes glared at them, nothing like Flammie's large blue orbs. "Fools, go ahead, run to your deaths... not unlike the last two swordsmen who challenged me. Prince Richard and the Knight of Gold... I believe they had a fairy with them as well. That Knight dealt me painful, crippling injuries... but I have recovered, and grown stronger... and resurrected that knight to be my servant..."

Duran knew that was meant to test him. He couldn't explain how he managed, but somehow his anger was completely under control. "I won't be yours to abuse as you did my father."

"Bow down before me, and die, as a sacrifice to your new god!! Bow down towards me, and prove you are worthy to hear my true name!"

"He's bluffing," the Fairy whispered in his ear. "The Tree is still alive."

"I know," answered Duran. Angela, at his other ear, nodded as well. The Dragon Emperor seemed not to notice the subtle flickers of Mana from behind them, as Lise quietly began laying protection over them all. Undine's, Jinn's, Gnome's, and Salamando's magics, one after the other, filled the group, just in the nick of time. As the last spell burned through Duran's muscles, the dragon roared, and the shout echoed off the pavilion surrounding them. Air and fire mixed hurtled towards them.

--

_Well, if there was a place in the Holyland to confront their foe, it was here, by the Goddess's own statue, _Angela thought, retaliating almost carelessly. The cold that blazed from Angela back towards the Dragon Emperor hit him square, and he flinched. He returned lightnings at her, which she deflected with a cloud of stone, barely stronger than Koren's. Nothing Angela, the Magus, could not handle.

But the dragon's spells built in power, coming gradually harder and faster, and Angela found she had to think quickly to deflect each one. Even so, slowly and surely she was being pushed back, and at first she tried to fight, pushing her own magic against her enemy, only to find it carelessly obliterated.

She blinked in real fear for a moment, but realization took over, and she understood what she was doing wrong. She surrendered to the fight, to Mana, and her emotions took over, she submitting only to her passion. Suddenly the Mana poured through her, twice as strong as before. Her next lightning tore through the clearing with a violent _crack_, and striking true, brought a pained squeal from the Dragon Emperor. Angela only grinned.

--

Their adversary's size worked to their advantage, in a sense. It meant that while Angela kept his attention forward, Duran could reach the sides unnoticed. He explained his idea to the others in a few words, and all slipped into position. At his order, Carlie stepped off to the side without arguing; Duran did not want her to get hurt if things turned out badly. He and Lise worked their way to the back, and on his signal, he swiped at the right rear foot while Lise cleanly sliced the left.

They dove for cover as the dragon reared in pain, but as the monster tried to turn around, his hind legs, hamstrung, collapsed. In his wolf form, with all the speed and strength that came with it, Kevin dove into the fray. He disabled their prey with bestial instinct, his metal claws slicing at the front legs, then leaping out of the way as the huge chest nearly missed crashing in on him.

The others had done their part. The rest, was all up to Hawk. As the dragon whipped his neck around, destroyed limbs rendering him unable to change position, his webbed wings fluttered rapidly, and Duran saw Hawk hurl himself in between the appendages, clinging tightly with his uncanny skill. Hawk moved so quickly that Duran could have sworn he saw him at both wings at once, deft knife slices making short work of the nerves connecting the wings to the body, they crumpled uselessly to the dragon's side.

The dragon was none too pleased with them, especially the human on his back. He lurched to the right, and Hawk flew perhaps fifty feet through the air, landing in a thick patch of dry grass, narrowly missing one of the stone arches, probably the only thing that saved him.

As Carlie ran from her protected spot behind one of the arches, Hawk raised one hand weakly. Duran turned to Lise to see the look of relief on her face mirror his own. As long as Hawk had not been killed on impact, it didn't matter if every bone in his body had been broken, Carlie could still heal him. In the meantime, they had a fight to win. Lise marched first back to where they had left Angela, now alone with an angry, injured beast facing her.

--

Angela was not tiring out, only getting stronger, as spells crashed around her once again. She was casting one on top of the other, sometimes two or three together, though the Dragon Emperor returned her volley just as fast. Air met earth, fire met water, light met dark, over and over again, until she saw the beast's legs crumple underneath him, she saw the wings fall to its sides; and she knew what her friends had done. But even the crippled dragon could still move its neck, and she was the one to which he turned. She felt a burst of magic.

There was nowhere to go as the enormous flare encompasses her.

The heat of the sun surrounded her on all sides, and she shut her eyes to protect them from the piercing, blinding light. Expecting searing burns to swallow her, she realized, strangely, there was no pain; perhaps she had been fried on the spot, maybe she was dead.

As the heat faded, she looked in wonder at her arm unburnt. Her clothes were intact, even her hair unsinged, as she pulled forward a violet lock for inspection. She looked towards where she had felt the Mana surge, right before the flames hit, and there stood Carlie. Hawk sat upright in the grass a few feet away, good as new.

Of course. She suddenly understood perfectly. It was magic flames, not fiery breath, that had spewed over her, and at the last second Carlie had thrown a magic shield over her; not been enough to save her, but combined with Lise's spells and her own increasing magical power, somehow… the spell had been deflected completely. She laughed deeply, she had done the impossible, she was completely immune to magic, and nothing could stop her.

Nevertheless, she was really pissed off.

She sent a cloud of powerful dark magic straight at the dragon's head. His neck fell forward as the dark spears collided, as fearfully wide-eyed as any other adversary they had encountered. As he shrunk away, she wondered if she had done him in for good.

A simple conclusion such as that was too much to hope for.

Another spell overtook the dragon, none of her doing, yet too powerful to be from any of her friends. As she watched, the gray tinge of death took over the dragon's flesh, and her eyes searched the clearing for the magic's source.

From the platform above, the Dark Prince stood, right next to the statue of the Goddess herself. Angela could have sworn the statue looked sad, as the deathspell drained the life out of the Dragon Emperor, leaving behind a gaunt, grey-skinned creature, eyes now lifelessly staring towards the sky.

"A demon," breathed Lise, now beside her.

"He's taking the life of the Dragon Emperor into himself," Kevin told them.

"Not just a demon," the Fairy said. "He's become the Archdemon... and the life he's taking will give him the strength of the Sword of Mana."

As the last life drained out of the giant dragon, the Archdemon, without a word to the humans, levitated over the trees much as Bigieu had done, and winked out of existence.

Empty silence covered the clearing, and the Dragon Emperor's pale corpse. Angela clenched her fists in frustration.

"_THE TREE_!" the Fairy suddenly shrieked, her voice a crash shattering the silence to pieces. "He's already there!" Flammie's sudden otherwordly squeal pierced their ears, an echo of the Fairy's scream.

"_Run_!" Hawk shouted, already tearing into the underbrush, with Angela crashing through not far behind. No one needed to be told to hurry, as the others followed behind, all six of them, Lise's magic still increasing their speed as they broke through bushes and twigs, unmindful of the scratches. Flammie, hovered above the trees to show the way, the plaintive wails that had led them to the statue of the Goddess now turning to panicked shrieks, as her furious wing flaps shook the treetops above, showering them with dead leaves. Kevin scooped Carlie up like a doll as she fell behind, while the rest tore through the Holyland, racing to save the dying Goddess.


	46. Ancient Demons and Gods

**46. ANCIENT DEMONS AND GODS (ANGELA)**

They were too late.

The Archdemon stood in front of the Mana Tree, or what was left of it - a burned-out, hollow trunk. A vicious expression contorted his face, and as they watched, the ordinary-looking face shrunk to skeletal features.

"Hahaha... too bad," he cackled. "The Goddess of Mana is dead. A pathetic, withering deity, finished with her own ancient power."

It was Carlie, not the Fairy who cried the first. "_Noooo_!! The Goddess!"

"How could you?!" demanded the Fairy. There was anger on her tiny face.

"Painful, isn't it?" the Archdemon practically snickered. "The Mana Tree, your only reason to live, is gone. The days of goddess worship are over. It's time for the demons to take their rightful place!"

"I can't let you do that!" the Goddess's messenger replied.

"Fairy, no!" Angela yelled, but as she dove towards the Archdemon, he swatted her away scornfully. She fell at the base of the dead tree, and lay there unmoving. _What was she thinking she could do?! _Pain and anger flooded Angela.

"Hahaha, silly fairy. Then again, I suppose she had nothing to lose. Soon, this world will merge with the underworld. There's no place for you here... A shame I couldn't have a human body waiting for me, but I will dispose this ancient receptacle nevertheless. Behold my true form!"

The figure of the Archdemon compressed towards a ball of darkness, a small sphere of infinite blackness that ate the light… and then exploded outward.

Not quite as huge as the Dragon Emperor, the Archdemon still towered over the stump, perched on the empty hull of the Mana Tree as if already taking the Goddess's place. His body was covered with thick, armor-like plates, from which emerged enormous hands ending in foot-long nails, sharp as knives, and a deathly face bearing long, curled horns. And the voice… the voice, when it spoke, had the rasp of the grave.

"Gaze upon the new ruler of the underworld, overworld, and holy lands!" the voice boomed, scratching whatever peace lay in the Holyland. "There is no way to defeat me without the Sword of Mana! That Sword is lost! It's over!"

"Fuck it, we'll try anyway." Hawk stood in his most arrogant stance, tapping his foot impatiently. Angela couldn't have put it better herself.

The Archdemon paused a moment, seemingly a bit confused. "Well then..." he began, "enough talk, let the killing begin!"

--

The basic spells being thrown at her were so boring at this point, that countering them with her own was a breeze. Carlie's magic shield left her perfectly protected. Angela suppressed an urge to yawn.

But the Archdemon saw, and adapted.

It was Earth magic, but not an earthquake, that came flying at them next, stones propelled straight towards them with a speed as if shot by a cannon. Angela swatted those around her with air magic, but suddenly Carlie had her hands full as her friends were pummeled.

Duran waved the girl away, healing himself to join her at the front of the battle. He sliced at the hard outer shell of the Archdemon's exoskeleton; he had only Lumina's magic to count on, but he poured the Elemental's energy into his weapon as Angela had done countless times, and the demon shrieked as the sword bit deeply every time it contacted.

Angela was surprised when dark magic barreled out at her in response to Duran's attacks. As many evil things as they had come across, no other adversary except Jagan, long ago, had been able to use pure dark magic. Well, she remembered how she had fried the vampire, and she was ready to try that again. Maybe it was watching the Paladin fill his weapon with Elemental power, or maybe she just didn't feel like having ice flying back at her when she used a fire spell. Whatever the reason, she suddenly poured Salamando's energy through her staff.

Flames came shooting out of the end as she struck. How that worked with a wooden cane, she had no idea, but she passed right by the Archdemon's ability to combat the spell, the hot shot pulling out a bloodcurdling shriek.

--

The next round of dark magic was nothing Lise recognized, but she could not avoid it. The darkness spun around her, and she felt only a brief tightness before it shattered away like slivers of glass. She felt unharmed. It took her a minute to figure out what had changed, but as weakness overtook her, it became clear as day.

In one swoop, all her magic, all her efforts, had been wiped out, effectively taking out one of their greatest advantages, and if he could do it again, he'd have them too weak to fight in seconds.

"Hawk!" she called. "Keep him busy!" He nodded in understanding, barely lifting eyes from his own fight as she felt his magical retaliation. She whipped out her spear, burning to attack, and raced into the fight.

Her spear swung wildly, catching chinks in the armor, tearing them a little each time. To her left, Kevin swung fists and legs wildly, and slowly but surely, the tough outer covering flaked off. Lise saw him tense, preparing for the most powerful technique the beastman used. Seiryuu Death Fist. A dramatic name, to be sure, but he knew the name told the truth, as he leaped in the air to collide with his opponent, fissures forming in the armor upon impact.

--

The others dove in fearlessly, weapons hitting the Archdemon with brutal impact, but Carlie knew she couldn't do much against the Archdemon, though she kept her trusty morningstar near just in case she had a chance to swing it. But her friends were being hurt one after another, and she knew that was where she could help the most.

She fought back tears as she leaned over Duran, fixing where the dark force had ripped into his sword arm. The Goddess was gone, after telling Carlie she would be with her always. She didn't know what they were doing here now, what they were fighting for. Duran flexed his arm experimentally and nodded thanks as he stood. The Bishop sat back as he ran towards the fight. All she could do for now was try to keep them alive, and she plopped back on the grass, feeling helpless, frustrated, and desperate.

She didn't know what made her look to the right, but there, on a root of the dead tree, sat the Fairy. Her spirits rose a little at the sight, but she couldn't allow herself false hope.

"I thought you were gone," she said sadly.

The Fairy fluttered lightly, as whole as before, and Carlie suddenly felt compelled to stand. She reached out her hand, and the being sat upon it. Carlie pulled her hand close to her eyes, and meeting the Fairy's gaze, suddenly felt as if she could see into the soul of the Goddess herself.

The Fairy's eyes carried a strange wisdom, something she had not seen before, something she did not yet understand, but it drew her like a moth to the flame. "I just played dead, while the Archdemon turned his attention away from me," she told Carlie. "But I'm not gone, and neither is the Goddess, not completely. You see, Carlie, even the Goddess is part of something bigger, and if you look through time, like they did in Pedan, you will always be able to find her."

--

Duran and Lise stabbed the chinks that were opening up in the Archdemon's protective coating, working like a finely honed team, blades catching from left and right something like raw flesh. Lise's expression was exultant, as slowly but surely, they were winning, they were wearing their enemy down.

Lise dove in for another stab. Unfortunately, close as she was, she was easily caught in the next spell. There were no flames, but Angela could sense the burning sensation, and Lise screamed as she felt the Archdemon pulling her to down to hell.

If any being knew Hell Cross, it would be the leader of the underworld. But how did a single being execute it? She had always learned it required a trio, and the back of her mind quickly processed the question. The answer, when it hit her, was so obvious. "The hands! I don't know how, but this thing can cast spells from three places!"

Hawk was the nearest to her, and he heard. "I can't get near the damn thing's head, but I think I can reach the wrists!" And as the razor claws of one huge hand reached for him, Hawk dove under to do just that. The Nightblade washed his magic over the right hand, one spell after another, as his knives reached through the grasping fingers to the place where the hand connected to the body.

This hand, at least, had lost his strength when he blasted it with Undine's magic, and a series of quick cuts removed it from the main body. The hand convulsed as if it had a life of its own, but suddenly Kevin was there, and the Death Hand destroyed the severed hand with a few hard punches. The shattered remains littered the ground.

Angela cheered involuntarily. There would be no more Hell Cross today. Hawk looked at Kevin. "On to the other one!" The beastman nodded.

--

Lise sat up carefully after Carlie's healing. She moved to stand, but Carlie pulled her down.

"Wait," the Bishop told her. "There's something you should try. Just because you didn't become a Vanadis, doesn't mean you can't call on the Goddess."

Lise was stunned. She hadn't told anyone what had happened in that second change, not even Hawk. How did Carlie know about the choice she had almost made? And beyond that, more bothered her. "But why me and not you? And isn't the Goddess dead?"

"Because you're calling up her warrior aspect. Every Amazon is an aspect of the Goddess." Carlie announced, chin jutting out stubbornly in annoyance at being questioned. "You just have to reach back to the past for another one of those aspects, the one that represents you the best. The Fairy told me how. Here, I'll show you."

Lise thought the Fairy was gone as well, but decided to hold back the rest of her questions for later as Carlie somehow put the cast in her mind, just as the Elementals had before. Slowly, she nodded. She thought it could work.

She stood, and tried to reproduce the pattern Carlie had showed her. It was extremely intricate, involving all the elements to some degree or another. A month ago, she wouldn't have even been able to wrap her mind around it, much less execute it, but now… in response to her silent call to Mana, the sky went even darker, but somehow she was not afraid. It was not have the foreboding feeling of the striated sky of the Holyland, and Lise raised her hands towards the sky, reaching for what, she did not know. The ground seemed to disappear, but she felt herself held aloft as a new presence was with them. Its arms sheltered her, the Goddess herself protecting her warrioress, and Lise turned her head to the right and up.

The figure was not the Goddess she remembered. It was a helmeted warrior with the wings of an angel, and odder still, Lise had the feeling the figure was male. If the Goddess truly had a gender.

"Marduk," Carlie proudly announced. "The depiction of the Goddess by an ancient star-worshipping culture." Then she giggled like the child she was.

Lise didn't care much about the history at the moment. The figure seemed to meet her eyes for a moment, and she felt it _knew _her, somehow, through her ancestors, through time. The ground became solid underneath her once again as she was gently set down.

Marduk turned to face the Archdemon, and it seemed a shower of stars rained over their enemy. The stars shone with a pure white light, not of Lumina, but the same light they had seen emanate from the Goddess statue in the Holyland. But as the stars hit the Archdemon, they sank into the flesh in a thousand places, the light piercing within.

The demon screamed, no ordinary scream but a crushing scream that made Lise's knees buckle. "But why isn't it dead?!" she wailed suddenly, knowing somehow Marduk would hear.

"This is all I can do for you," intoned a voice as ancient as time itself. "It will take the powers of both light and dark to set Mana to rights again." His eyes swept away from her, the Star Lancer following his gaze, to land on the Magus. And Marduk disappeared.

--

With the figure Lise had summoned, it seemed the tide was turning in their favor. Angela didn't understand how, but she knew _who _had been summoned. More importantly, she could feel the spell that the Goddess had cast, the brilliant but deadly rain of stars. She did not have the right balance to repeat it directly, but something in it jogged her memory. She remembered the meteors Koren had thrown at them, and now she knew how to reproduce them.

She composed the intricate mix of elements she had just witnessed, quickly altering a few minor points to suit her own strengths - some Dark where there had been Light, some Fire where there had been Water. An ancient spell taught to her by an ancient being.

Even as she formed the spell, she could sense the Elementals barely hanging on, desperately trying to contain, to order, the last of the Mana with their Goddess gone. "Hold on, hold on," she sent to them the silent shout, but Mana gurgled through her as she pushed it back down. Despite her best efforts, chaos seeped in, and she was afraid nothing less than calamity would be unleashed.

But she was no mere magician anymore. She was a Magus, and she did not fear the chaos.

She firmed her hold on what she had pictured from the start. Satisfied with her construct, the Magus held it firmly in her head, but did not begin the spell herself. She opened her mind, and allowed the Mana to flow through her. First a trickle, then a stream. She felt the pressure as the power built, she herself barely able to bend the flow as it rushed into her. It was as if the complexity of the spell itself pulled power towards it, and she felt the raw power coursing. She felt it now not just in her head, but everywhere inside her body, running through her blood, seeping into her bones, and though she started to feel afraid, still she made no effort to stem the tide.

The power was starting to hurt, but still she wanted more, pleasure and pain mixed together. It felt like she was burning, drowning. She was being cut, she was being crushed, and still she surrendered to the Mana, wondering how much she could take. If the Mana struck her down right here, if she sacrificed her life to save the world, at least it would be remembered as a fitting demise.

--

Duran almost shrank from Angela in fear, never having seen that much power could be wielded by one person. Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, her hair flailed wildly in the winds surrounding her, flickering red and orange as her cloak whipped around her.

It was as if she was a demon herself.

"Angela!" he cried fearfully, unable to go to the woman he loved, but she could not hear him, somewhere lost far away, somewhere lost in the torrents of Mana.

"What is that crazy woman _doing_? She'll get us all killed! Even I'm not that suicidal!" shouted Hawk.

"If we die, we die for the Goddess!" yelled Kevin. As the Mana overtook the Holyland, Carlie was throwing magic shields over them as fast as she could, in anticipation of the inevitable release.

Only Lise seemed unaffected, her undone golden hair whipping in the rising winds of Angela's spell. She turned from the Archdemon, and regarded Angela without fear, without expectancy, nothing on her face but a strange wisdom, a wisdom beyond her years. A smile crossed her face.

--

Angela heard her friends' voices faintly, but was powerless to respond. The spell was descending into chaos. Angela could no longer control it, only survive it. It was controlling _her _now. It was beyond the control of the Elementals. It was pure chaotic energy that flowed through her now, the ancient energy that had created the world, the Magus, as once was the Goddess, the only thing standing between raw energy and destruction. She stood facing their enemy, the Mana crashing through her in tidal waves. There was no Angela anymore, just the infinitesimal concentration of Mana that built, and built, and built...

Angela stumbled as the spell released her. Like diving into freezing water from boiling, the release hurt every bit as the buildup, and she cried out in pain, pain in every part of her being.

Koren's spell had been paltry, but the impact hers produced was deafening.

At first she thought it was the rain of stars, but what came rushing from the sky above them was burning with fire, not light. Pebbles, then boulders, made from the fire and earth that had created the world. Rocks as big as she herself, then bigger, rained down on the Archdemon, and with every stroke, part of the demon burned away.

Still the rain came on. Nothing of the Holyland was visible around them as the sky fell in upon them. There was nothing but the Magus, the Archdemon, and the meteor shower without end.

The last to come flying out of the air was bigger than Flammie herself, and it drove a straight path towards the Archdemon's head. The demon scream she heard this time had nothing but pure terror in it, a petrified wail that was suddenly cut off as the head was crushed, and incinerated in an instant.

--

Nothing remained of the Archdemon but ashes, lying in the hollow of the ruined Mana Tree. Around them, the Holyland was a disaster, Angela's spell having turned the place into a burned-out wreck. Trees had been incinerated whole, the river boiled to nothing but a dry creek bed, stones charred and melted. Yet, it all seemed strangely purified, the contaminated filth that had infected the Goddess's domain destroyed, to clear the way for… what, she did not know.

As she surveyed the damage, Angela decided she was glad there was no body left behind; she could not have found the energy to cast even a small black gate to sweep the body off the sacred ground. Come to think of it, she couldn't sense Mana at all.

Familiar strong arms grabbed Angela as her legs gave way beneath her. For once in her life, she was grateful to have Duran catch her as she fell.

The dark had cleared, but the sky still did not have the brilliant blue of life. It was just the slightly gray sky of any ordinary day, even as the Holyland burned around them, fires all around consuming the diseased vegetation, scorching the battered stones. Even as they stood there, the domain of the late Goddess was reduced to death as she herself had been, the flames themselves then dying into embers.

The dead stump had strangely suffered no further damage in the onslaught, the untouched remains somehow pathetic and pitiful, a weak memorial to a divine being. And within its hollow, among the Archdemon's remains, lay a sword, shimmering in the daylight.

They looked at the Sword together, the Sword all had been seeking. Not that it made much difference now. Carlie poked at the sword, lifting it slightly. As she let go, it dropped with the _plink _of any ordinary blade.

"Eight God-Beasts inside that tiny little sword," wondered Hawk. "Must be pretty crowded in there."

"Maybe the Goddess wanted the God-Beasts confined back in the sword so everything could be as it was before," Lise suggested.

"But couldn't we have retrieved the Sword to do the job?" Duran said, irritated. "That's kind of what we thought we were getting into when we started this."

Kevin spoke up. "Maybe we were never meant to handle the power of the sword. Angela didn't take it - she had to be allowed to touch it, and I think it was the choosing by the Fairy that allowed her to. Look at what happened to those who tried to wield its power, are we so sure that it would not go to our heads either?"

"Besides," Angela reminded them, still shaky with the memory of that flood of power, "as the Fairy told us, it was all our experiences that truly gave us the Gift of Mana. Maybe the Goddess had that in mind all along, so we could be there to save her… even if we failed both the Fairy and the Goddess in the end," she finished quietly.

"No, we didn't," Carlie argued.

They turned down to look at the little girl.

"Don't look at _me_, silly," she addressed her friends. "Turn towards the stump." They all followed the girl's eyes.

Before the stump and the Sword, a familiar being flitted up to face them.

"Fairy!" Lise cried.

She fluttered energetically. "Thank you for not losing hope... but the Mana Tree is dead. Mana is gone..."

Angela had the uncomfortable feeling that she had the honor of burning the last Mana out of their world.

"Now the time has come for me to disappear too..." the Fairy continued.

"Noo!! Don't go!!" Carlie was openly weeping as the others echoed the sentiment.

Angela didn't know whether to feel slighted or not when the Fairy flitted to Carlie rather than herself. Hadn't she saved the damn sprite? But Carlie opened her hand at the level of her chin, and the Fairy alighted on it to look the girl in the eyes.

"No... don't worry... I will return someday... as the new Goddess... and will use the power of the Sword once again..."

"Really?!" asked Hawk, intrigued.

The Fairy spoke to all, but it was to Carlie she looked. "Remember me... make sure your children remember... because one day, Mana will return to your world." Strangely, Carlie nodded as if agreeing to something.

The Bishop, the High Priestess of the new Goddess, pushed lightly upwards with her outstretched hand, and the Fairy flew into the air. She grew into an ethereal woman as tall as they; the most beautiful woman they had ever seen.

The Fairy winked, then lowered to sink in the soil before them.


	47. Life Begins Again

**47. LIFE BEGINS AGAIN (CARLIE)**

Lise knelt down beside the spot where the Fairy had disappeared. It was almost invisible, but there it was. A seedling, in this nearly dead world that had been the Holyland.

"And life reproduces itself once again," she murmured reverently. A hand reached down to help her up.

She rose, to look straight in the face of Hawk.

--

The party walked back slowly through the ashes of the Holyland. Above and beyond the sheer destruction, something about it seemed different. Maybe it was their own hope.

Angela and Lise walked side by side, watching Carlie run ahead with childish energy. They were content to leave the men behind them for the moment, laughing, joking, and high-fiving each other, the two women enjoying each other's silent companionship.

Angela spoke first. "You know, she looks older now."

"I think so too," Lise agreed. "It must be the Gift of Mana. That level of power is sure to grow her up, and she'll need that to spread the word of the new Goddess. Maybe the Goddess was looking out for her."

"Maybe… but not just that," Angela added. "After meeting the elves, I wonder if what we thought was childlike features, is perhaps just her elven heritage. The tiny nose, the slender figure... It's hard to tell her age at all."

"Not really… It's in her eyes," Lise objected. "There's a wisdom there that wasn't there before. That's all her."

Angela looked ahead. "In any case… we're not looking at a little girl anymore…"

"…we're looking at a young woman," Lise finished.

--

They stopped in Altena first. Angela was glad for that, she wasn't sure how she might have responded had she been the one who had to leave Duran.

They had a few days together, but eventually the time came to move on.

Outside the palace, Valda bid Duran goodbye. "Please tell Richard that Angela and I will pay him a visit soon. There are important matters the three of us need to discuss." There seemed to be a hidden meaning behind her mother's words, but Angela could not tear her mind off Duran to dwell on it. Valda left to give her daughter and the Paladin some privacy.

The two looked at each other. After so many months in each other's company, they didn't know what to say, and they just looked at each other, uncertain, confused. Finally, Duran leaned in to give Angela a long kiss.

A goodbye kiss.

She threw her arms around him. "I love you," she whispered, barely audible.

"I love you, too." Duran's voice was stronger, certain, but it changed nothing else. He gently disentangled her arms from his neck, even though she could see he did not want to leave any more than she wanted him to.

He took a few steps back, then paused. His mouth worked silently for a moment, trying to find the words.

"Angela, I will be back for you someday."

She could only nod, a lump in her throat, as he turned to go.

--

Lise stayed only briefly in Altena after Duran left. As much as she wanted to be there for her friend, she felt the sight of her and Hawk's happiness was a little much for Angela.

Hawk was leaving as well, to Navarre, but only for a short time.

They had held each other on the balcony of their room in the Altenan palace, their eyes meeting with the connection only of two who truly understand each other. The wind had grown colder, but with summer beginning, it did not bite them as it could.

Both were scared to speak, but Lise forced the words to come out.

"I want..." she began, but fear stopped her there. She forced herself to begin again. "I want you to come to Rolante. To live. With me," she finished, breathlessly.

She heard his gentle "yes" as he leaned in to kiss her.

Three months, he had said, to make sure things were right in Navarre. Lise would plan her formal coronation to coincide with his arrival. She was already Queen to her people in spirit, but she wanted him there when she became Queen in name.

Someday, she wondered, would Hawk find himself named King as well?

--

Carlie held Flammie's neck tightly as the beast flew.

From Navarre, Wendel would have been the closer stop, but she had asked Kevin to let her be the last. So they had advanced to the Beast Kingdom first, where Kevin gave the dragon instructions to get Carlie home safely.

Flammie seemed to understand Carlie's words as easily, though. "Let's go slow," she suggested. The dragon now flapped along lazily; if she had gone full speed, they might have been there in a matter of minutes, and Carlie wanted to think.

There were very important things to think about. Everyone had to know about the new Goddess, and Wendel wasn't going to be able to do things with magic anymore. She had heard Angela saying that Altena was going to have the same problem, and she guessed they were both going to have to figure out something.

But she knew, for her friend the Fairy, she would figure out a way.

--

Kevin not greeted by his father at the gates of the Beast Kingdom, crossing into the castle alone, the noonday sun shining overhead. That, sun in the moonlight forest, would take enough getting used to.

He made the trek up to the throne room himself, where his father greeted him alone. That was the beast way. It would have shamed him to be led up by others, as if he couldn't have made his own way home.

"Father," he greeted the Beast King, in their native tongue.

His father stood to look at him appraisingly, and Kevin remained at attention under his father's gaze. A single question escaped his lips. "Do you understand now, Kevin?"

"I understand, Father. Death and life are both parts of the same. If even the Goddess can die, we must be able to face both."

The King nodded approvingly. "It is time, Kevin. You will still have to earn the throne, but I will start teaching you what you need to know."

--

It might have been nice to have Angela here for this ceremony, Duran thought, but it was for Forcenans only.

They had both agreed to return to their home countries. She would be able to become Queen now, and she belonged to Altena; there was no way the Crown Princess could join him, a mere soldier, in Forcena. Even if that soldier was becoming one of the King's elite, the Knights of Gold.

He missed her, but sadly, he found as the days went by, he was starting to forget her as well. Duty had always driven him, even as he wished he could allow otherwise, even as he lay awake at night wondering if she would ever be lying next to him again.

King Richard spoke the words, witnessed by the other the Gold Knights. No others were allowed into the room. Duran bent his head respectfully as Richard put the medallion around his neck.

He had expected the Lord's Medallion Richard had presented him with so many months ago, but he looked down to see something different. This was pure gold, hanging off a string of beads in a rare blue stone.

Duran looked at Richard questioningly, but did not ask.

The King answered the question in his eyes. "It's a Paladin's medallion, Sir Duran. We haven't had one in quite some time. It might not have been your father's path, but he would have been glad to see it on you."

--

Hawk was welcomed back to Navarre with open arms, even by Jessica. Single again, she had comfortably settled into the attentions of the men of the Sand Palace. The rumor Hawk heard was that she had a different man every night.

Hawk pushed down his jealousy. He reminded himself that even though he had been the first for Jessica, he himself had been with dozens of women before her. When that didn't make him feel better, he let the face of Lise drift into his mind, and suddenly all was clear again.

He was there to see Jessica raised to the rank of Rogue in front of their people. She had taken on the Ranger title in the days after Navarre's retaking, when her father had been too ill to lead, and the title had given her legitimacy as a leader. Sure, there were no more Mana Stones, but Navarrese considered that largely a formality anyway. Hawk, raised through the Stones' power, missed his magic slightly, but was pleased to find that the advantages of speed and precision had not left him.

"So why not a Wanderer, like your brother and father?" he asked Jess one evening.

She sipped her wine, considering. "The forest of the past returned to us... that is the dream of the Wanderer. Myself, I think we are going to need to be a bit more practical if we are to survive. We can bring back the best of our culture, but we can't hope anymore that the Goddess's goodwill will come to save us."

She proved her practical side when, inspired by Hawk's stories, she sent a group to the jungle outside Pedan to collect some of the trees that grew there. In the months that he stayed there, the trees thrived, the tropical plants of the Jungle of Illusion seeming to be the only things that could survive the burning desert sun.

Even though Flamekhan grew stronger, Jessica was handling things so well that he joked he might as well retire. The short young woman beamed at her father's compliment.

Finally the day came for Hawk to leave for Rolante. He thought he might feel sad, leaving the only home he had known, but he knew what he was going to. Jessica, Flamekhan, and Nikita embraced him, then turned their backs. It was an old ritual of Navarre, so the ones you love would never see you leave.

Lise had sent an honor guard to Palo to meet him, so it was with a substantial retinue that he arrived at the gates of the castle, Hawk breathed in the mountain air. It felt _free_. He could learn to like it here.

And climbing up the steps past the castle gates, seeing Lise waiting to welcome him, he changed his mind. He could learn to _love_ it here.


	48. Epilogue: Valda and Richard

**48. EPILOGUE (VALDA AND RICHARD)**

Lise was pleased to see the Amazons had rather taken a liking to Hawk. His speed and skills were plenty to impress a group of women who valued technique above brute strength, anyway.

Looking at him spar with them one afternoon, she remembered the story of one of the former Amazon Queens, who was said to have six known consorts, and possibly several more unknown. Even after marrying the one whose children she bore, she kept the other five anyway. None minded, all considering it to be an honor to be chosen. She had been one of the most powerful of their Queens.

_An amusing story_, Lise thought, but one royal consort was enough for her.

Harder for Hawk, though, was establishing a relationship with her younger brother. The ten-year-old boy at first was in awe of the man who rescued him, but as time went on, he became jealous of the competition for Lise's affection.

Lise had given Hawk his own set of rooms nearby, in case he should want some privacy, but realistically, he lived in her room. Her brother did not like entering her room in the morning to find Hawk already there.

For herself, Lise was finding that as Elliott grew older, she did not feel like behaving as a mother to him anymore. She deserved to be taken care of herself.

It was stern words from Hawk that finally settled the matter.

"What did you tell him?" Lise wondered, later that night.

"Basically, I told him that a boy would want your attention all the time, but a man would want to see you happy," Hawk replied. "I think I embarrassed him into growing up."

--

Duran spent much of his time close to Richard as a member of the King's elite personal bodyguard, the Knights of Gold. In peacetime, there wasn't a lot of fighting to be done, but he quickly discovered that the Knights were the King's closest personal advisors as well, expected to be strong in mind as well as body. Duran realized he was going to have to start reading books.

He was with the others, five months later, the day Her Majesty, Valda, Most Holy Grand Divina, Queen of Reason and the Magic Kingdom Altena, came to visit with her daughter, her Highness, Angela, Princess of Reason and Exalted Black Magus.

At least, that was how they were announced. He looked at the woman he only ever thought of as Angela. As _his_ Angela.

He caught her eyes for a moment, but they only gave him a nervous flicker of recognition before returning to the ceremonial welcome.

Duran was briefly tempted to stick out his tongue at her. It was something Hawk would have done.

--

After the welcome of the Ice Queen and her daughter, Richard dismissed all other parties in the room.

Duran turned to go, but then heard his name. "Duran," his king's voice said. "You may stay." He returned to stand at attention.

Richard waited until all had left the room to stand from his throne and approached the Altenan Queen. "Valda," he said simply, taking her hand to kiss it, the chivalrous gesture of a knight. To Duran's surprise, the Queen looked at him warmly in return. It was not an expression he would have expected from Angela's mother. "Richard," she said gently.

Richard straightened, and silence covered the room.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Richard," Valda finally began.

"Ten years ago was the last," he replied.

"But I was alone on that trip. This time, I have the honor of presenting Angela to you. My daughter - " Valda paused for breath - "and yours as well."

Duran was floored. He hadn't seen that one coming. Angela, on the other hand, did not look too surprised. Either her mother had told her, or she had figured it out on her own.

Richard did not look terribly surprised himself, as he took Angela's hands in his. "Daughter," he greeted her.

"Father," she replied politely.

"I hope, Angela... that we will finally get to know one another as we should." Angela bowed her head in acceptance, as Valda looked on.

--

Duran did not see Angela much on that trip. It was hard to compete with a new father.

Nevertheless, she made time for him every day, even if only for an hour or two, and Richard was only too glad to let him off his duties. She spent nights with him, as she could. Old feelings snuck back in, gently and warmly, as he felt her close.

One of those was the last night she had there. She arrived late at Duran's room, resplendent in a rich silver gown, seating herself at the head of his bed. The new family had been having a late dinner, she explained.

"So your parents have gone to bed now, and you're still awake?"

Angela gave him a look. "Actually, I don't think I'm the only one awake. I have a feeling they have gone to the _same _bed tonight."

That surprised Duran. Twenty years ago, maybe, but now... "Is that the way it goes?"

"I haven't asked. I don't know if I would be more bothered if my mother _wouldn't _tell me the truth, or if she _would_."

"Well, we can't let the old people outdo us, can we?" Duran gave her a grin, and she yelped as he tumbled her backwards.

Duran didn't care one way or the other what Valda and Richard were doing, if it meant Angela was there with him now.


	49. Epilogue: Duran

**49. EPILOGUE (DURAN)**

Angela was slightly concerned when she received a formal invitation from her mother for dinner.

Since returning home, she had finally been able to get close to her mother; and her mother, she felt, finally saw her as she really was. And when Valda had finally introduced her to King Richard to her as his daughter, she felt like a missing piece was filled in.

But still, in some senses they were strangers. And this odd invitation only surprised her more. She only received such when there were matters of state for Queen and Princess to discuss, and nothing urgent sprung to mind.

Nevertheless, this was an invitation from the queen, even if she was also her mother, and it was not to be taken lightly. As she dressed in her finest ice-blue gown, she still had to remind herself she was a Magus now, Mana's disappearance notwithstanding, on a level with a Grand Divina such as her mother.

She knocked on her mother's chambers as would a formal guest, but was greeted rather casually by a call of "Come in." She entered to a decadently set, candlelit table , where her mother, resplendent in royal blue velvet, awaited her.

Angela took the place across from Valda. For a time they proceeded in relative silence. Angela felt a bit of a knot in her stomach, wondering what was to come, all the more so because Valda seemed distracted herself, nervous even. Not what one would expect from the notoriously composed Queen of Reason.

Valda sipped her wine, staring into her goblet, then finally spoke directly.

"Angela, my daughter," she began.

"I called you here tonight like this because I want to discuss something very serious with you - the future of our kingdom."

Valda sighed, and stared off to her right for a moment, out the window to the icy landscape of Altena, glittering in the moonlight. Then she began.

"I know you have probably wondered, my daughter, why I did not tell you the truth about your father sooner. But you have to know, we are not just women, we are part of a royal family of one of the most wealthy nations in the world.

"Richard and I had met as rulers, but twenty-two years ago he arrived in Altena on the course of a mission. I joined him, and accompanied him for some months thereafter. I was only twenty-one years old, just a little younger than you are now, Angela.

"My mother had died when I was ten, so my father, her husband, though only royal by marriage, became regent until I, at seventeen, could ascend the throne in my own right. He taught me well, and I depended on his council even afterward.

"During this time, Richard and I got very close. Over time, we found ourselves falling in love. But I was so in love, that I wasn't careful. A short time after we parted, I found out I was with child."

Angela leaned forward, enraptured. It was not like her mother to reveal this much, and she valued the opportunities when Valda did so.

"I had a difficult decision to make. A child born of a queen is not just a child, but a heir. I knew I could not simply marry Richard; we were the rulers of two different countries. I went to my father for advice.

"Here in Altena, marriage is only somewhat of a formality as far as inheritance of the throne is concerned, but Forcenans are much more proper. I asked my father, should I tell Richard?

"He sat down with me, and reasoned it out for me.

" 'Valda, my dear,' he started, 'you must think first: are you bearing an heir for Altena or Forcena?' "

"He pointed out to me that if I were to tell Richard, he would probably insist on marriage. And I, for diplomatic reasons, would have a hard time declining. It was not a small matter, it was the sort of thing could have turned into diplomatic instability or even war, as many would see it as stealing the heir to the throne.

"But moreover, I had to consider whether I was bearing a boy or a girl. If I bore Richard a boy, he would become the heir to Forcena. I could even dissolve the relationship after and return to Altena to marry again.

"But if I bore a girl, the situation became more complex. We need a female heir in Altena, so if I remained unmarried, my daughter would have been my heir, the Princess of Reason.

"But married to Richard, a daughter would have become a daughter of Forcena. It would have been too late then. Since Forcena passes the monarchy through the male line, my daughter would have been married off to some high lord, or perhaps some knight who had distinguished himself, not unlike your Duran." Angela flinched slightly at the reference.

"But she would never be the Queen of Altena.

"I prayed to the Goddess for days. Torn, I finally consulted the Priest in Wendel. Rather than confessing all my secrets, I merely asked, would I have a boy or a girl.

"The Priest was a much younger, energetic man then. He placed his hand first on my head, then on my belly, which was only barely showing then. His eyes, closed for a long while, as if in a trance, and finally he spoke.

" 'You will have a daughter,' he said, "with your wisdom, and her father's spirit. Whether that makes ice or fire, angel or devil, I know not."

"So I kept you for myself, and when you arrived, I named you Angela, in the hope that the best of myself and Richard would unfold." The Queen looked at her sadly. "And I kept your parentage to myself, so my daughter could grow up to all of her birthright."

Angela was quite literally frozen to the spot as she struggled to take it all in. She had never thought about the complexities of her parentage before; a casual fling was one thing, but what her mother was telling her was much more than that. Why hadn't she ever reasoned it out before? She should have, she was the Princess of Reason, after all. She sat, her eyes downcast, letting her mother's words, and the emotions behind them, sink in. She wanted to smile, she wanted to cry.

She was crying.

She didn't know when her mother had gotten up to sit beside her, or leaned against her shoulder, or put her arms around Angela. She just knew she was sobbing, and her mother was crying with her. It was something they had never experienced, and some part of her felt gladness inside the pain for having shared this together.

Eventually, her sobs abated. She sniffled. There were few other people she could let see her like this. Duran, for one, who would only love her more for showing that side; and Lise, kind Lise, who shared her own tears sparingly but would always have time for the pain of a friend.

As she regained her composure, a thought occurred to her. "Mother," she asked. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"That's the rest of why I asked you here tonight," Valda responded gravely. "As much as it saddens me that we were never able to be truly a family, I see you now as a grown woman. You are my daughter, yes, but in some ways my equal as well. You are a Magus. And you cannot be more ready to be queen."

Angela laughed at that. "Mother, you'll be around for many years yet. I won't be inheriting your throne anytime soon."

"Not inherit," Valda replied, "but it can be given."

That got Angela's attention. "What are you saying, mother?"

"Just this, daughter. At the same time that I took you to Forcena last year, to formally introduce you to Richard, he and I talked a great deal." Angela had a feeling they had done more than talk. Like mother, like daughter. She pushed the thought down.

She knew her mother kept many consorts over the years, and Angela had done the same herself, since age fourteen. Her mother had found her five years ago with one in the hallway. "Child, in the Queen's presence, you should make sure you wear a shirt," Valda had said to the terrified boy, and walked on. But something about thinking of her _parents _together was creepy...

Her mother's words drew her back from drifting thoughts. "No one can take away your inheritance now that you are a woman grown, Angela. But all this time I had to stay away from Richard... and him all this years, having never married and produced an heir...

"Well, Angela, we have decided, with Altena's royal line secured, to try and produce an heir for Forcena. I am not too old. If it doesn't happen, I can return here and resume the throne as before... but if it does... we will marry."

Something in Angela changed, and as she gazed into her mother's eyes, it felt already as if she looked ruler to ruler. "You mean for me to be queen in your place."

"Well, technically, Queen-Regent, because I'm not dead yet, and I can take the throne if necessary, if, Goddess forbid, something should happen to you. But in all practicality, it means the same thing." Valda stood then, and Angela rose as well, to face her mother. Although Angela was only a shade shorter, Valda's presence made her seem towering. "You are ready, my child. I am proud of you, and I believe in you. And I think by now, the people may support you even more than myself."

Angela stood expressionless, letting it all sink in. "I will continue to make you proud, mother." Valda showed something dangerously close to a smile.

"There is one more thing," her mother continued. "I depended on my father, with no husband or sisters, and I do not plan to leave you alone, either, without me. Before I leave… I will see you safely married to your young man, Duran."

"_What_?!" Angela had somewhat cultivated her regal bearing since returning home, but suddenly it flew out the window, and her natural temper flared. "But... I've only seen him a couple times this last year! He's not ready, he'll never agree, I don't know if I want that, what about..."

Valda put her hands on her daughter's shoulders to calm her, and, holding her, forced her to meet her mother's eyes. "Do you love him? Is he the man you will marry?"

"Well... probably," Angela admitted.

"Then it might as well be now. You will know you are marrying for Altena, and that will make you respect your marriage, whatever your whims. As for him, Richard will let him know that this is his king's desire as well. Duran will tell himself he is doing this for Richard, and to strengthen the alliance between our two countries - I can see that in him, he will do what's right - but believe me, Angela, deep down, he will do it because he loves you and he wants to. You may just have to know that in your heart, sometimes. We must always make decisions with the good of the kingdom in our hearts," Valda ended, her eyes growing briefly far away.

Suddenly, Angela felt terribly ashamed. He mother had given up the love of her life for the good of the kingdom, so Angela could one day be Queen, and she herself was pushing away the chance to have the love of the man she wanted? "I'll do it, Mother," she said, her voice quavering but strong.

--

Three months later, Duran arrived. It took that long to make the needed inter-kingdom arrangements, but once he arrived, the wedding was scheduled only a week away.

_So this is an arranged marriage_, thought Angela. Part of her wanted to laugh. She was undergoing an arranged marriage to the man she wanted to marry anyway? At least, she sure hoped she did. Thinking you might want to is different from having it dumped on you.

This being a formal occasion for her, Angela was the one to sit on the throne, with her mother at her right side. It felt very strange to her, but despite the butterflies in her stomach, she forced herself to keep composure. She had traveled to the Holyland, faced down God-Beasts and that bastard Koren, met the Goddess old and new, so why was this of all things so frightening?

The doors opened, and Duran entered with a contingent of knights to do him honor, King Richard himself among them. Angela caught her breath. He looked as good as he had six months ago when she had last seen him, maybe more so for his freshly shined armor. His eyes met hers, and locked. Angela suddenly wanted to melt to the floor. Whatever the circumstances, she saw it. Just as her mother said, he was here because he loved her.

He went to one knee before her, bowing his head in knightly protocol. "I, Duran, Paladin Knight of Forcena," he intoned, "come here at the behest of our most revered King Richard, who requests the strengthening of the alliance between our two kingdoms. In accordance with his wishes, I offer a marriage contract, between myself, as Richard's honored servant, and Angela, the Princess of Altena."

Her mother squeezed her arm slightly for encouragement. Angela forced her voice to project. "As the daughter of the crown of Altena, I, Angela, accept your alliance, and your marriage offer, Sir Duran." He rose, and once again, bowed his head to her.

"Then it is agreed." Valda stepped in. "I declare the day and time, one week from today, on the Mana Holy Day, at three o' clock in the afternoon, that this union will occur. This I vouch for as the Queen of Reason, Guardian of Altena and the Snowfields." Duran and company bowed once last time before turning and leaving the throne room.

Angela felt empty. Was that all there was?

--

Duran had to ask several servants directions, to where Angela had established her new Queen's quarters. Fortunately, no one questioned why he was going there; even if they didn't remember him from two years ago, as one of Angela's companions, they sure knew now that he would be the Princess's husband.

He had been surprised when, two months before, Richard had summoned him to the King's private study. "Sir Duran," his mentor had begun formally, "I am sending you on a very important mission, to Altena. Valda and I are beginning a plan to strengthen the alliance between our two countries, after the recent hostilities."

The Knights of Gold often performed important diplomatic functions, so Duran was ready for such a request. "I understand, Sire. I will do my best as your ambassador."

"Ambassador. I guess you could call it that," Richard said, chuckling. "You'll be there for quite a while, though. I'm sending you to marry the princess."

"_Angela??" _Not _just _the princess, but his daughter as well. Duran knew there was no way of refusing a king, or a father. He might as well consider himself married already. Their passion had easily flared on Angela's visits to Forcena, but those had been few and far between. He had thought in the back of his mind that someday they would be together again, but he had not known how long duty might keep that from happening. Now, it appeared duty had brought that day much sooner than he had expected.

His mind returned to the present. It had been tough to see her the way he had this afternoon, not as his Angela, who could be so hot and cold in that wonderfully exciting way, but as the new Queen of Reason (well, Regent, but he knew that was a formality.) He wondered if she realized how much she looked and acted like Valda once you put her on the throne.

His heart, and other parts of his body, quickened. Married, to Angela? She would test his patience every day for the rest of his life. He could hardly wait.

He knocked on her door, which opened surprisingly fast. She was still dressed in her regal robes, though she had removed the coronet and her hair was disheveled. Still, something about her made him reluctant to abandon formality quite yet.

"My lady-wife-to-be, may I come in?" he asked.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. She was angry, but it might or might not be at him. He would find out soon enough, he knew. "Of course, sir."

Once the door was closed, they stood awkwardly looking at each other. Was this the same woman he had spent half a year with roaming around the world? Of course it was, but they both had new responsibilities, new roles.

He could think of only one way to bring themselves back. With a couple long strides, he was beside her, and took her in his arms, kissing her passionately. For a moment, she didn't seem to know what to do. Then, she gave in, sliding her body against his in a way that fit perfectly. For all her passion and fire, she could still be surprised, and seduced, by someone else taking control...

And with that thought, he reached down and scooped her up in his arms. She wasn't frail, but still was nothing for his strength. She squealed as her feet were suddenly whisked off the ground and grabbed his neck tightly.

Those royal robes didn't stay on much longer, as they made love with the passion they had known at the start. Duran knew what it was. This beautiful woman he loved was going to be his wife, and he couldn't wait until they didn't have to be apart anymore.

--

After such a long absence, Angela relished the feeling of just lying in Duran's arms.

She had tried to return to her old consorts, in the first few months back in Altena, but they quickly bored her and left her craving the experience with Duran. This was what she wanted, just the two of them together, her strong Knight there for her. But, of course, only when she really needed it.

"I missed you, Angela," he murmured through her violet tendrils. "It was hard to see you today, going through the ritual, wanting just to be close to you..."

She must really have missed him, because she suddenly felt quite tender towards him. "I - I wanted to just throw my arms around you, like we used too," she sighed. "Why did it have to become so complicated this way?" She sniffled slightly and stopped herself. Goddess, what was wrong with her that she suddenly felt so sentimental?

"I don't think it does, Angela. We love each other, and we can do this thing together." He must have seen the quizzical look on her face, because he kept going. "You know, I feel bad, I didn't give you a real proposal..."

And he got out of bed, pulling her to her feet as he sank to his knees. _Why, Goddess, oh why?_ She was wearing her slip, and him, nothing at all... She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

But she lost that urge when she looked down at him and saw the look in his eyes. He wasn't kidding with her. "My dear Angela," he began, "you excite me, you challenge me, you mean so much to me. I love you, and I know I can make you happy. Will you marry me?"

To her surprise, she found herself sinking to the rug besides him, and all she could murmur in his ear was, "Yes."

--

The news, of course, was posted up the next day.

Angela was terrified to be seen in the city. But she wanted to know what was going on.

"What are you so worried about?" Duran asked her, as she stuffed her distinctive violet hair under the hood of a nondescript brown cloak. "Why does it matter what the people think?"

She would have to keep her face hidden too, she realized. Well, it had gotten cold enough in Altena that a face hidden under both scarf and hood would not be remarked upon. "It _does_, Duran. Whatever happens between us, we're going to be ruling this kingdom together now, and I'm sure Richard would tell you how much the people's respect matters."

Mentioning her father's name seemed to silence him, and she gave him a long kiss to placate him, before entering the city.

She had realized on her flight from Altena, so long ago, how much the Princess could hear when no one knew who she was. There was no shortage of opinions. She was pleased to hear that their was strong support for the Forcena-Altena alliance. Occasionally she heard angry doubts that this alliance could survive after the recent wars, but she felt vindicated when others quickly hushed the doubter.

The gossip on her marriage itself was wilder. All her people really knew was that a marriage had been arranged, between their own Princess of Reason and the Honorable Paladin Duran, First Sword of Prince Richard, of Forcena. She heard many wondering how Princess Angela would take the idea of an arranged marriage. Several commented that the Princess had surpassed her mother, and would lead Altena into the future. Just as my mother said, thought Angela. Valda was indeed a shrewd woman.

A couple citizens joked that Angela was wild before - not particularly a secret, thought the Princess - and since she became a Black Magus, her mother had been forced to arrange a marriage just to calm her down.

No one seemed to put it together. What would all the gossips say if they knew their new King and Queen were in love?

She was smiling at that rumination, when the voice of a young woman stopped her in her tracks. "I hear the Knight of Forcena is gorgeous. They'll have beautiful children together."

An older woman, probably her mother, responded. "Well, the alliance won't be secured until they do."

Angela froze. She stood there, until the mother and daughter turned to look at her, as if feeling her stare. Nervously, Angela put her hand in front of her face, even covered by scarf as it was, and hurried back towards the palace.

As she entered the main gates of the palace, pulling down the scarf, she was still thinking about the last thing she had heard.

Somehow, it made it all real to her. She had been excited about being with Duran, after barely seeing him the last couple of years; but it wasn't just that, they were going to be _married_, they were supposed to have children together, they had their nations to think about...

"It's the Princess! Princess, are you okay?" she heard a maidservant. Angela kept her eyes lowered and rushed away. She barely saw the halls she was walking down. She heard the voices of the palace inhabitants, "Angela, Princess Angela..."

Angela rushed to her rooms and locked the door behind her, wanting no one with her in that moment. _Marriage, children_. She wasn't ready, but she knew she was going to have to do it anyway.

She buried her head in her hands in the darkened room. At times like these, she wished she had a girlfriend near. Goddess, she missed Lise.

--

Angela waited with her mother in the alcove. Richard had already led Duran through the room to the Altar of Reason. Both women wore the ice white of Altena, but today Angela wore her new crown, a replica of the Queen's crown with a large ruby in the middle, instead of the diamond of her mother's. Her mother merely wore the ceremonial golden stole of the Grand Divina.

The new crown had to be specially made. There had never been a Magus as Queen before, though the vaults did hold the emerald crown for the handful who had been Rune Masters. It felt heavy to her. Well, she would be getting used to it soon enough.

She had always thought her mother would conduct her wedding ceremony. Traditionally, Altenan ceremonies were always conducted by the highest-ranking wizard the bride and groom could manage. Even if the magic part was gone, the ranking was still there.

But as Valda had explained, if the purpose of this marriage was officially alliance, then it would look as if Forcena was coming to Altena as a beggar, and small details like that could have big repercussions. So instead, each of the monarchs escorted the young persons themselves. There was no question of the Priest of Light conducting this ceremony. Despite maintaining cordial relations with Wendel, the religions were just too different for the citizens to accept it.

Fortunately, Angela knew someone with enough status to satisfy everyone, and thus it was, that as she entered the hall on Valda's left, the first face she saw was that of the Queen of Rolante.

Lise gave her a small, subtle smile. Whimsically, Angela thought she made a surprisingly good Altenan. She wore today a simple white formal sorceress robe, but the silver cape of an Archmage, the best approximation of her rank in Altena. Her golden hair shimmered against the silver threads of her attire.

With that smile of encouragement, Angela let her gaze fall to the right of Lise, to the person whom today was about for her. Duran looked straight at her, without fear. In fact, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

His gaze held hers as she drew closer to the altar, and turned to face him. Something in his eyes made her fear disappear as well. This was it, this was the real thing.

--

Lise watched Angela and Duran standing before the Altar of Reason, exchanging the Altenan vows clad in the ceremonial white. The color was more flattering on her than on him, she observed, but the cape of gold Duran wore compensated. They did look like a king and queen.

_Well, Queen-Regent and Prince Consort_, she reminded herself. She did not wish for her friend to experience the death of her mother as she herself had.

In any case, it still put her best friend on herself on roughly the same footing as Lise herself. She thought she detected anxiety in Angela's face. Was it the wedding, was it the regency, was it Duran? She wondered. Maybe a little of all three. Angela would rise to the rule of Altena, she knew, but she hadn't been prepared for it as long as Lise had, and she was glad Duran would be there with her; Valda certainly had the right idea there. She looked at Valda, gazing back at Richard, her expression an almost perfect mirror of the way her daughter regarded Duran. _Their _daughter, Lise reminded herself.

Thinking of her own beloved, she covertly glanced down at him. His face was as neutral as her own. From Hawk, lack of passion was a bit of a cause for concern, and she wondered what was going on in his mind.

She saw Kevin in the crowd as well, and Carlie. The young girl was studying hard to take over from her grandfather, seeming more and more the woman she was becoming every time Lise saw her, a little taller, a little more serious, even though her exuberance thankfully never left completely. Right now she was smiling a little-girlish smile at the couple, another person about whom she could only guess what they were thinking.

It was hard to think of nothing on a day like today.

--

"But if your father was king, and your mother was Amazon-general, then how did you end up doing both?" asked Hawk one day, some weeks later.

"Well, my mother was not born in the royal line, she married into it. My father was an only child, so that made him the heir to the throne. If he had a sister, she would have become the Amazon-general, but he didn't. So the Amazons got together and picked the best of their number, Riesz, who was selected to marry my father and be, therefore, their leader and queen. Even though my father and mother knew each other only in passing, the Amazons made a good match, as they grew to love each other very much.

"Now, if our children were a girl first, she would take both roles, but if we had a boy first - " Lise stopped, realizing what she had just said. "I mean, my children," she corrected herself, blushing furiously.

She knew Hawk could see her obvious discomfort, and instinctively tried to reassure her as he had in a hundred other things. "No, Lise," he said, taking her by the shoulders and turning her to face him. "_Our _children."

Suddenly, Lise looked at him in wonder. She had known where they stood, of course, had known since Hawk agreed to come join her in Rolante, but never had they admitted so openly to each other that they really wanted a future together.


	50. Epilogue: Hawk

**50. EPILOGUE (HAWK)**

It was much colder nowadays, Angela realized as she shivered. She had taken to wearing slender leggings and tunic under her cloak. Her dresses were still fine indoors, but outdoors, it was something different. Just because she enjoyed the cold did not mean she wanted it all over her skin.

Fortunately, the generators her scientists had been working on were almost assembled. She inspected their assembly of the huge machines that would magnify whatever heat was available in the air.

Altenan technology had always taken second place to its magic, but with Mana gone, the preexisting structure was catching up rapidly. She had been somewhat surprised to discover she had a knack for it. She remembered studying the workings of the Gigantes as a child, but had lost that interest in the pursuit of magic; now, she picked it up again quickly.

Then again, she thought, it was just another form of control. That, she could understand.

Duran had been a real asset to her in these endeavors; whereas she could put together the fine details, he could get the big plan in order and execute it. Not unlike military planning, she supposed. Despite their official titles, the Altenans referred to them only as "Queen" and "King", now that her mother had left for Forcena. She considered that a vote of confidence.

After all she had been through, she thought, _really_ being a Queen was the hardest part of all. She realized, finally, how difficult it must have been for her mother.

--

Carlie sighed, poring over yet another book high in the Temple of Light. She had never really liked reading. It seemed to her that if you wanted to know the Goddess, you should just pray to her.

But she was learning to do everything her grandfather did, and that involved plenty of reading and writing. Heath had saved his life, but he hadn't been so healthy even before then, and Carlie knew she had to learn as much as possible, because one day he would be gone. She tried not to think about it too much; she didn't cry like a little girl anymore, but it was hard to stop the tears, thinking about losing him. She would be a great High Priestess, so he would be proud of her, when he watched her from the Holyland.

Carlie bent down to tug at her robes absentmindedly. It was almost time for new ones. The joke around the temple was that the young Bishop outgrew her clothing every week. Sometimes she surprised herself when she caught her reflection in the mirror.

The door's opening startled her, and she bumped her head on the table as she hurriedly sat back up.

Fortunately, it was only Heath. She didn't see him as much as she used to; now that she was older, he didn't need to take care like when she was a child. But he was still a friend, and it was nice to see him. "Busy studying, Carlie?"

Carlie wrinkled her nose. "It's boring temple stuff," she replied. "If I have to read something, I want to read history at least. A lot more happens there."

"History... also a good thing for you to know," Heath mused. "You're writing some of it too, I hear?" he asked.

"Well... I'm starting. It's not easy, but I'm trying." Carlie reached in the drawer of her desk, to pull out the scroll where she was writing down the adventures she'd had with her friends.

--

After Duran's and Angela's wedding, Hawk started to wonder himself about what would happen between him and Lise. He realized that they themselves had been heading in the same direction for some time now. But one part that Duran seemed to have taken in stride, wasn't quite as comfortable for him.

Marrying a queen meant not only that you became her husband, but you also became a king. And that was something Hawk knew nothing about.

Five years before, he would have scorned the idea of himself and _king_ in the same sentence. But times changed, kingdoms changed, and most importantly, he had changed. He was in love with a queen.

Lise didn't care, he knew. She was so wonderfully accepting of him as he was, and the love she needed from him was something he could give freely. But it was just the pure simplicity and acceptance of her love that made him want to be something more for her. He didn't want to be just her companion; if he was going to do this he wanted to take the role on fully, to help her in any way he can, to take some of the burden of responsibility off her shoulders. That used to mean fighting monsters, but now it was peacetime, and that meant pursuing justice, politics and diplomacy. Things he had never bothered with before.

But he knew a king that could probably teach him what he needed to know.

--

"How long will you leave for?" she had asked him, as evening fell over one of the high balconies of Rolante.

Lise had not questioned his need to go. She wouldn't, he knew; she would wonder, but accept. She had never tried to force him to stay, and he couldn't tell her what he was planning to do, not yet.

"I'm thinking about a year, Lise. Richard and Valda have told me that I am welcome to stay with them as long as I want. There's some things I need to do still... but I promise you, I will come back to you."

She embraced him tightly, and he let her hold him for as long as they still had each other.

--

Courtly life in Forcena, Hawk observed, was something different than in Rolante.

He had seen Valda sweep through the castle, as much a stranger as he himself was here. The Queen of Altena - soon, he thought, possibly to be the Queen of Forcena as well - traveled through the corridors of the palace in her thin, silken gowns, violet hair trailing down her back like a waterfall, like a lily in a field of weeds.

Angela's mother was something he had never seen before. Twice his age, she was still beautiful. He never forgot Lise, but that didn't mean he didn't notice.

The Knights seemed to all walk around like they had something to prove. Sure, Duran had a bit of that in him, but at least the man was genuine, when you came right down to it. But they weren't bad men, really, once you got to know a few.

The women of Forcena, however... Well, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why they seemed to want to be so... stupid.

There they were, their constricting and overdone outfits, their elaborate hair, exchanging vapid conversation. They stared at the elegant and educated Valda, he saw, with open jealousy.

He eavesdropped on them all, with the skills he had honed in many years as a thief of Navarre.

The Amazons had accepted him easily in Rolante, despite his heritage, but he would have thought the Forcenans would blame Valda for the recent troubles. Instead, from the men he heard approval of the new alliance, and mostly admiring comments about Valda herself, spotted with the occasional off-color comment when the King was nowhere near the vicinity.

But the ladies of the court tittered behind their hands.

Whether Valda did not hear, or simply ignored them, he did not know, but she bore it all gracefully. She spoke little, but never exuded loneliness. She had all of Angela's presence, and much more dignity, smooth composure covering every motion. She did not yet have a formal role in the country, but Hawk had no doubt she would establish herself in Forcena soon enough.

Despite the gossip, soon enough the ladies begin to slavishly adapt. Fashions changed to looser dresses, hair came down. Once or twice he saw what might have been the botched remnants of an attempt to turn light hair purple. It wasn't the same if it wasn't already growing out of your head. He could have told them that.

Some of them even took to carrying around books as Valda was often seen to do. He didn't have the heart to tell one poor young girl she was reading her book upside down.

Those were only the women of court; the common women were different altogether. He rather enjoyed the company of the common people, frequently traveling down to the pubs of the city to mingle. He could be himself there, no one there even questioning what a Navarrese was doing in their midst as long as the drinks kept flowing.

The women there were as refreshingly blunt as he could have hoped, and he freely bantered with them. Occasionally one would find herself a little taken with him, at which point he told them he was engaged. Not entirely true, but close enough. For those who didn't consider that an obstacle, he told them he was engaged to an Amazon. That generally stunned anyone within hearing range, as if Amazons were ten-foot monsters ready to eat them. He smiled inside, thinking of the impression Lise was making without even being there.

Meanwhile, Valda glided serenely through her new world as he stealthily crept through his. Except when Richard was near, and then Hawk saw some of that cool covering slip.

He got his first inkling that there was something underneath the icy queen late one night. He had been prowling around the castle for hours, feeling trapped like a caged animal, lacking even the windy parapets of Rolante where he could feel blissfully alone.

Voices drifted to him, and he curiously crept forward to see which servants were canoodling at this time of night. He peeped stealthily from around the column, and -

Not servants at all. There, framed by the full moon outside, stood the King of Forcena and the Queen of Altena, very close to one another.

Richard had one arm around her waist and one arm wrapped around her hips in a way no Forcenan would consider proper. Valda was caressing his face with her own hand, head bowed forward slightly but her eyes raised to his flirtatiously. More to the point, she was smiling, not just the occasional reserved smile she sometimes showed, but an open, almost girlish expression that for a split second reminded him exactly of Angela. Richard leaned in to whisper something to her, and she grabbed him to kiss him passionately.

Hawk abandoned his voyeurism and snuck away, mulling over what he had seen.

It was more interesting than what went on in daytime, in any case. Hawk had to spend a great deal of time with King Richard. It had been his own request, after all, and he hated it.

It wasn't the man he hated, absolutely not. Richard truly was a role model, as far as monarchs were concerned. He had dignity, compassion, and presence; and he had easily absorbed Hawk almost as a surrogate son, leading him through the ropes of royalty with a father's pride.

But he seemed to do a lot of bulletteshit with his time. Sitting in audiences with Richard was so boring, listening to ambassadors and diplomats drone on forever. Lise did not have to deal with nearly as much, but then again Forcena was more central. Dignitaries, paperwork, meetings - would it never end? Is this what the peaceful world had shamefully been reduced to, he wondered?

More prized were the moments away from the whole business of the thing, which found Richard letting his guard down with his young protégé, and willing to tell him a lot more about the man underneath. At those times, Hawk received all kinds of valuable advice. At least, unless Valda happened to show herself, and then the king was suddenly drawn into another world. With no one else around to see, Valda would often snuggle under his arm as the two looked at each other with the intimacy of those who have known each other for more than half a lifetime. Hawk would casually slip away then.

He knew, however, he was getting altogether too comfortable in Forcena when, talking with Richard one day, he finally blurted out what he had been wondering. "Aren't you angry that your daughter was kept from you?"

Richard sighed, and suddenly it was as if all of his fifty-odd years were visible in his eyes.

"I wish it were so simple," he finally spoke. "It saddens me that it had to be that way. But for the place, the time, the circumstances... as much as it pains me, she was right, and she knew it. And looking how things came out in the end... I wonder, how much did we determine ourselves... and how much of all our paths did the Goddess make..."

He turned to Hawk with novel seriousness. "Remember that. Once you rule, your choices are no longer solely your own. They are for both yourself _and_ your country, and a wise ruler knows this, and makes his decisions thusly."

Hawk flashed back, momentarily, to a conversation long ago with a then-mysterious Lise in a nondescript inn of a faraway town, and how he had scolded her for saying much the same thing. The way she put others before herself had seemed strange to him then... but suddenly it was all the more clear.

--

It was somewhat of a surprise when Valda invited him to tea one day.

Hawk had been attempting to make his way through some incredibly boring legal documents that Richard was dealing with. It had made him wonder if Forcena had been worth the trip.

The knock on his door took him by surprise, and at his curt "Come in," the messenger entered, with a note in the flowing, scripted writing of the Grand Divina. Hawk gladly tossed his reading to the side, as if an invitation from the - what was she exactly? Royal Consort? Official Mistress? - was not enough. Barely straightening his clothing, he was out the door to present himself at her quarters in a flash.

The door was open, and Hawk cracked it with uncertainty as to the protocol. "Come," came the familiar deep, lyrical voice. He obeyed, plopping himself into one of the plush chairs of her sitting room. Valda stepped in, herself bringing the tray. "Hawk," she greeted him with a casual warmth; she did know him, after a fashion, though they had not done much more than exchange pleasantries in the weeks he had been there. "Would you like some tea?"

"I'd rather have a drink," he returned, with a frankness that surprised himself; then, waited to examine the response.

Valda only looked at him with that unreadable expression that she seemed to have perfected. That, the icy calm, was something of her only, and never of the explosive Angela. "So we drink, then. " Moving to the shelves, from somewhere she produced two goblets and a bottle of wine.

"It's a Wendelian red," she stated, setting all down before she neatly swept her skirts out of the way to take the seat opposite the small table. "My apologies, it's not as full-bodied as those of your own homeland, but Richard and I drank the last of the Navarrese vintage a few nights ago."

"I'm sure you did," Hawk replied. He was sure he knew what night that was. The servants had gossiped about their cries of passion for days. Suddenly embarrassed by his thoughts, he mentally smacked himself for rudeness.

Valda seemed not to take offense, however, filling his glass with a graceful bend of the arm. As they sat together by the window, opening to the east, and the countries beyond, they sipped in comforting silence as the long minutes drew by.

"So, Hawk," Valda began conversationally, "did you ever sleep with my daughter?"

Hawk barely swallowed his wine without choking. "Umm, no, ma'am," he responded humbly.

Valda only gazed at him with that same blank look. "Don't take it the wrong way, Hawk. It's just a question. I would have been surprised if she didn't at least try." Hawk flinched involuntarily at the almost-forgotten memory. But Valda saw right through him.

"So, she did," Valda mused. "You must have turned her down. Did you already love the Queen of Rolante, or was there more to it? Tell me, thief of Navarre, how did you end up mixed in with princesses and queens?"

Hawk asked himself the same question several times as, over the next hour or three, Valda wormed out of him the details of every woman he had so much as _looked _at. Angela's mother had that effect. He was starting to feel absolutely stripped bare as she turned the conversation to him, and the way he felt about it all.

"Lise was someone who had absolute faith in me, when I thought no one would ever trust me enough to let me care for them again," he found himself confessing to the strangely undefined woman across the table. Was she mother, lover, sister, friend? "I didn't want anything from her at first but to know her better, and we became probably the best of friends. But the closer I got, the more I realized how deeply I was falling in love with her. I never remembered she was a queen."

As he finished his story, he thought about how it sounded. The Queen of Rolante. Nothing like the woman before him, but somehow they were part of the same thing, both obligated to the realms they ruled. Lise would someday be the same age as Valda, and find herself looking back on today, the choices she had made. That was the price of royalty.

Suddenly, he wanted to know more about Valda, how everything had happened to her, how she had gotten from here to there and back again. "Now it's your turn," Hawk told her. "You tell me about yourself, and Richard, and Koren, and Angela, and all the rest."

It was impertinent, and Valda gave him a look that told him such. Nevertheless, she answered the question. "I suppose fair is fair, Hawk of Navarre," she told him. "I wish I could remember it all. The past few years are... hazy. I reach for them, to find nothing there, and wonder what I have lost... But before then, it's as clear as day. It's an old story, as old as my reign in Altena."

Hawk listened to her, captivated. _Friend_, he decided at last, odd though that might seem.

--

Hawk pored over the books Valda had given him this week. Like everything else he did, he read quickly, and recorded all sorts of detail. Valda was amazed at how rapidly he was expanding his knowledge.

He had reacted with trepidation when Valda suggested she begin his history lessons. He didn't think it was terribly exciting to drone on about things in the past, but Valda seemed to pick up on his interests right away. Or else she knew some really good books, because Hawk was captivated. He read how Pedan, in its heyday, had discovered the power of magic and exploited it to become the center of the ancient world; about the battles that established Forcena, its female warriors defeated and the male knighthood rising to power. More recently, there was the bloody beginnings of the Beast Kingdom. Why, it was all so underhanded it made the Thieves' Guild look like a bunch of Bishops.

He supposed he and Lise would be part of the histories as well. Not just their adventures past, but now the two of them, and their heirs. Which reminded him, once again, of why he had come here.

--

Lise's days were very full. She hardly had time to miss Hawk, with her affairs of state, and diplomacy. She also threw herself once again into actively leading the Amazon army, a task she had been forced to delegate somewhat in recent years. And of course, she had Elliott to keep her company. She was happy enough.

But the nights were something different. She had grown used to having Hawk sleeping next to her, and seeing his face first thing in the morning, making her smile; now, she tossed and turned, lying awake to stare at the walls around her. It all reinforced how much she really loved him. She accepted his wandering nature, and knew that as long as she let him go, he would come back to her.

If only she knew when that would be.

--

Hawk had been in Forcena for nine months when, dining with Richard and Valda, Richard said he had something important to announce.

"I wish our daughter, and Duran, could be here to hear this news first," Richard began. It still sounded strange to hear Richard refer to Angela as _his_ daughter. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, as if searching for the beard he had shaved off a year ago. At Valda's request, most likely.

"But you're like part of the family now, Hawk, so it's almost the same," Valda said, smiling a warm smile that he would have never expected to see on her when he first met her. It looked strangely... maternal. Then again, even Angela smiled sweetly, once in a great while.

Valda looked to Richard to continue. "As you know, with Angela safely ruling Altena as Queen-Regent, and Duran as Prince Consort, Valda and I have hoped to produce a heir for Forcena. And... it appears we have been successful."

Maternal smile, indeed.

"To make things official, the wedding will take place in six weeks. That will give enough time to organize, and get word to everyone. And of course, Lise will be coming, too." Hawk heard the hidden hint behind Richard's words: Did he want to go back with her?

Yes, he was ready. Because, whether here or back in Rolante, wherever Lise was, was home.

--

Lise arrived in Forcena via Flammie, excited to finally see Hawk again after their long absence apart. Richard and Valda's invitation had included a personal note from him as well. He was finally coming home. Not "Rolante", she noticed, but "home".

She and her retinue approached the main gates, where the couple-to-be stood, in their full regalia, to greet them. Her eyes just swept over them, though, and latched onto the lavender-haired figured to the left of Richard. Hawk.

His eyes met hers, and she gave him a small smile. She wanted to run to him, but this was a state occasion, after all, and there would be plenty of time for the two of them later. He winked slyly at her in response.

Something about him was different, but something about him was the same. He did not wear the full regal outfit that the other courtiers did, but sort of a Hawk-modified version, a deep purple vest, only lightly embroidered, over a slim black tunic and breeches, tucked into his boots. Also unlike the Forcenans, he carried no sword; Lise knew he preferred weapons he could conceal. Even in peacetime, he would be hard-pressed to go without them. She rather enjoyed the comfort of her spear herself.

Richard greeted her formally. "In the name of Forcena, I greet you, Queen Rieszella of Rolante, and welcome you to my realm. Be welcome as a guest in my castle."

Valda took her by the hands and embraced her slightly less formally. "It's good to see you, Lise," she said, reassuringly using the younger Queen's Amazon name. "Our daughter and her husband arrived only yesterday themselves." Speaking louder to the surrounding persons, she said, "Perhaps Sir Hawk would be kind enough to escort our guest to her quarters?"

Lise smiled at him bemusedly as he took her hand. Sir Hawk? That was a new one. She wondered briefly what he thought about that, but soon forgot as the two of them walked up the stairs.

--

To Lise's surprise, "her" chambers were, in fact, Hawk's chambers. She had thought Forcenans to be somewhat more formal, but then again, they could hardly impose their morality on a powerful head of state such as she herself was. Also, she reminded herself, the King was taking a wife who was already several weeks pregnant. Things had changed, for sure.

Once the door closed, however, Hawk dropped all pretense at formality and once again was the same old Hawk. He shed his vest to the floor and threw his arms around her, kissing her in a way that took her breath away, all the more so for their time apart. "Goddess, I've missed you Lise," he whispered to her. "I can't wait to come back with you."

"I missed you too," she sighed happily. "But I have to ask - have you found what you came here for?"

He pulled away from her and looked at her with familiar intensity, but a new seriousness as well. "Yes," he answered. "Yes, I think I have."

And with that, there was no more conversation for a while.

--

Angela was excited to see Lise. Living half a world away did not make it easy to keep up with a friend. She strode up to the door of Hawk's chambers and was about to knock when sounds from within stopped her, and she put her ear to the door questioningly.

She pulled away once it became clear what was going on. Of course, she should have known the first thing Lise would do would be to get reacquainted with Hawk. She was rather proud of the girl, actually; for someone so innocent when they first met, the two of them now almost put her and Duran to shame.

Smiling mischievously to herself, she returned down the hall. She would just have to catch up with Lise later.

--

"Angela!" Carlie found her before even word of the Bishop's arrival had reached the other woman.

Angela embraced her fondly. A far cry from the annoying child Angela had first found her to be, Carlie was a sharp-minded young woman now, only a couple of inches shorter than Angela herself. More of a little sister, and maybe a friend. "When did you get here?" inquired Angela.

"Only this morning. My Grampa was too ill to come, in the end, so I'm to be conducting your mother's ceremony instead. Isn't it exciting?"

Little sister, indeed. This girl was performing the ceremony to unite her mother and father, expecting their second child twenty-two years after their first had grown, married, and taken over the kingdom. As Angela walked down the hall with Carlie chattering happily, she thought how much had changed.

--

Kevin entered the courtyard where Hawk lounged against the wall, talking with Duran. With him was a woman they had never seen before.

"Hey, Kevin," Duran greeted him casually. "Sorry to hear about your father."

"It's alright," Kevin replied, all traces of his previous awkwardness in Mana Tongue now gone. "Sixty-seven is an old age for a beastman to live to anyway. The fighting for the throne went on for days, but there were only a few deaths, and I was triumphant."

"The Gift of Mana keeps on giving," observed Hawk, gesturing with his goblet of wine. Anyone but Hawk would have splashed half the liquid over the sides with that motion, Duran thought, but Hawk pulled it back to his lips without spilling a drop.

"And at the end, they gave me Lucia here as a present," Kevin continued, motioning to the woman beside him.

They should have noticed earlier. The beastwoman at first looked only more voluptuous than her human counterparts, but upon closer inspection, red streaked her brown hair, and her eyes had the distinct golden tinge that marked her heritage.

"Gave? You're okay with that?" Duran blurted, before remembering his manners.

The beastwoman - Lucia, her name was - spoke. "It was an honor to be given to such a strong man," she said, her voice low in pitch but not unpleasant to the ear. "This way, I know my children will be powerful."

Duran wondered a number of other things that were probably inappropriate to ask. Did beastwoman transform at night too? What happened if only one was in human form?

His expression must have been revealing, for Hawk leaned in to whisper to him. "Don't worry about it, Duran," he said. "It's a different culture, and it's not really any of our business anyway."

--

The wedding was a grand event, uniting the leaders of two major countries. Despite Angela's regency, Valda was, in fact, still the queen.

The ceremony was also the first major act performed by Carlie as an anointed High Priestess. Lise wondered how that would be taken, with Carlie still looking so young, but she was of age. More than that, in fact. Thirteen was the age at which one could be raised such, but Carlie's unusual heritage meant the Priest had to estimate when she was ready, and his declining health had forced his hand somewhat as well.

Carlie was well-received, however. She was shaping up to be not just the new High Priestess of Wendel, but the leader of the "New Goddess" religion, as it had come to be called... The Priest's endorsement helped, of course, but the legends of her meeting with the Goddess herself had spread, and her natural enthusiasm took hold of her listeners when she preached. She really was the perfect religious messenger for the new world.

Watching Carlie perform the ceremony, Lise reappraised her assessment of Carlie's age. Her features were still youthful, but as she and Angela had figured out long ago, a large part of this was the elven influence; the slender lines of her jaw and nose, her wide blue eyes. Her curly hair now cascaded in red-gold ringlets down her back. And she was tall enough to look Lise in the eye.

--

Watching Richard and Valda's ceremony made Duran flash back to his own wedding. Richard was resplendent in Forcenan crimson and gold, while Valda wore the traditional Altenan white - the same as he and Angela had both worn. Thinking of that day, he looked down at his own wife, who was today wearing royal purple embroidered with silver, a gown which complemented her amethyst hair quite nicely.

The wedding was a grandiose affairs befitting the joining of the rulers of two major nations. He listened to Carlie's high, joyful voice reading the vows and at the finish, pronouncing Richard and Valda married.

At the wedding feast, Angela sat to the right of her mother, with Duran at her side. The place to the right of Richard would have been Duran's, before he left Forcena for Altena; but Hawk, having lived in Forcena for the past year, was there to fill in for him, with Lise by his side. Well, Rieszella she was, for today, anyway, but to him she would always be Lise. Carlie and Kevin filled the ends of the bride and groom, respectively.

As the day grew on, the guests slowly began to leave, paying their respects to the King of Forcena and the Queen of Reason, now the Queen of Forcena as well. Finally, Valda whispered something to Richard, who suggested the party retire to a more private location.

So the group returned to Valda's private sitting room, the apartments having been prepared for the wedding night, accompanied by Elliott, Heath, Lucia, Jessica, old friends and new.

It had been a long time since they all had been together, Duran thought, yet here they were, laughing and reminiscing about old times. Valda seemed blissfully happy, and he remembered that she was actually almost three months pregnant. Still, the look he saw on her face was one he sometimes saw on his own Angela. Not all the time, but the times when he could make that smile appear, it was worth it.

He looked across at his buddy Hawk, standing with his arm around Lise, who sat on one of the low-backed chairs with her legs crossed to the left, her green gown flowing to the floor and slender golden slippers peeking out beneath. _Opposites attract_, he thought, _like dark and light, and make each other shine more brightly._ If they could manage not to cancel out each other instead.

The group had lost track of time when Hawk finally cleared his throat and asked for everyone's attention. His friend looked nervous for once, very unusual, but some conversation over the past few days had pretty much told him why. _He_ knew what was on Hawk's mind...

"Everyone," Hawk began. "I don't know when we all might be together again, but since we have all our friends here, there's something I wanted to say in front of you all."

He turned to Lise, who looked up at him trustingly. "Lise, I didn't tell you exactly why I wanted to come here, because I wasn't sure if it was something I could do. But now, I'm ready to come back with you, and I can tell you, I came here to learn from Richard and Valda.

"Lise, I've wanted to be with you as long as I can remember. You've never asked me to be anything more than what I am. But now I can tell you, I'm ready to be a husband to you, a father to our children - and also a king who can rule by your side... If you'll have me."

Lise's eyes widened. She would have never asked Hawk to go to these lengths, but she would love him more for doing so.

"Lise, you're my everything. I love you. How 'bout it?" he asked, grinning like the old Hawk.

Lise looked at him for a moment, before pulling him gently to her. "Yes, oh yes," she replied. No tears of happiness, she just closed her eyes to give him a single tender kiss.

Duran was not a man who cried in front of others, but he could see his wife's eyes moistening for them both, Angela quickly ducking her head to pretend she wasn't actually tearing up. _It was about time_, he thought, as congratulations and well-wishings burst out from the group.

When Duran's turn came, he patted Hawk on the back. "Well, buddy, I guess you should probably start training with me soon. You're going have to be in good shape."

"Huh?" Hawk looked confused. Lise's slightly hidden smile told Duran she knew what he was referring too. She had told him once, many years ago, after one of their training sessions together.

"Well," he told Hawk, "I guess you don't know what an Amazon wedding is like."


	51. Epilogue: Lise

**51. EPILOGUE (LISE)**

Hawk entered the courtyard alone, as was the custom. Rolante, he thought, must be the only country in the world where a man entered his own wedding dressed to fight.

Duran and Kevin had left him at the entryway. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Duran return to where Angela was standing with her mother and father, and her new brother, Loki. Angela gave Duran a concerned look and slipped an arm around him. Not like Duran had anything to worry about today.

Idly, he noticed the look that passed between them. It was the efforts of Valda and Richard that had gotten these two wed, and they still seemed surprised, three years later, to have each other. _Well, it's for the best_, Hawk thought. Otherwise, they would bicker for another ten years before finally agreeing on what they both wanted anyway. This way, they were forced to adopt some good behavior.

Well, he would certainly not be surprised to have a wife, after all this time. They had been heading towards today since the day they met.

He approached the dais slowly and with dignity, letting all his arrogance project confidence to the enormous crowd, with all its eyes upon him. In the center stood Lise, looking beautiful and regal in her ceremonial gown of green silk, trailing on the floor behind her. Over her shoulders was a velvet cloak, in a darker green, and atop her head sat the Wind Crown of Rolante.

And to her right, Eliza. That was the next part.

"Who goes there, entering the Amazon courtyard?" Eliza shouted, tossing her bright red hair back while her deep voice boomed across the courtyard.

"Hawk of Navarre," he replied, as he had practiced.

"Why does this man come here?" came the response.

"To join with an Amazon sister, in marriage."

"And who is the Amazon you seek?"

"Lise, of Rolante." There were gasps from the crowd. Goddess, he hoped that was just for dramatic effect. Didn't they know they had come to a wedding?

Eliza turned to Lise. "And how does Lise of Rolante respond to this request?"

Lise's voice rang clear as bells through the courtyard. "I accept this man, Hawk of Navarre as a husband worthy of an Amazon. I accept this man, who will bring honor to the Amazons and strength to our children." She looked at him serenely as she said it. It would have been a great time to crack a joke, but for once he restrained himself.

"Sister, we trust that you believe this man worthy," shouted Eliza. "But, for the honor of all the Amazons, your sisters must test this man, if he is willing to prove himself. Will you, Hawk of Navarre, accept our challenge?"

"I will."

"Then as the near-sister of Lise, I will choose the Amazons," Eliza intoned. "But there is more. This man asks not just to be husband to the Amazon Lise, but to Queen Rieszella of Rolante, to be her partner and our king." More murmurs from the crowd. He sighed inwardly, having known he would have to deal with this and impatient to get through the formalities.

"Therefore, let me choose the Amazons who will prove his worth as our king!" and Eliza began calling names. One Amazon after another stepped forward, until there were four on either side, with Eliza in the center.

_Nine?!_ For the first time, Hawk felt uncertain. Lise had only led four others out for Eliza's wedding, and even that had been considered excessive, but it marked the esteem in which Lise held her dear friend. Hawk looked back to Lise, who shook her head ever so slightly. Apparently she had not expected it either.

"Do you, Hawk, accept our challenge?"

He knew, as well, as much as he had gotten to know the Amazons, the would not go easy on him. To do so would disrespect both Lise and himself.

"I do," Hawk returned. He looked around at the crowd around them. Lise has warned him that the biggest part of the ceremony was to earn the respect of the crowd. A weak man could never be tolerated in marriage to an Amazon, and ten times that for the queen. What he did here today would profoundly influence his success as a co-ruler of Rolante.

So he smiled his roguish smile, and looked around at the people. "Bring it on, Eliza," he shouted. "Lise is mine, whether you like it or not." Murmurs and a few cheers came from the crowd. It was a ballsy statement, and this was one of the only times you could safely insult an Amazon.

"Then let it begin," Eliza gave, and motioned the first forward with her spear.

Weapons were not allowed for this contest, and the first Amazon was a girl barely taller than Jessica; probably one of their newest. It didn't take him long to wrestle her down to the grass. The second and third had only slightly more training. The fourth was able to push him around a couple times, but he still overcame her.

Breathing hard, Hawk realized that Eliza was sending the weakest first, then the increasingly stronger. He gritted his teeth and mentally prepared.

--

Angela took her baby brother in her arms to give her mother arms a rest, as she watched the proceedings with perplexed interest. Carlie, at the right of herself and Duran, was bouncing up and down on her toes, the energy of the crowd infecting her.

She turned to glance at Lise, all regal bearing today. Even if this was her wedding, and that was her husband-to-be getting punched right and left by her friends.

Looking closer, she saw a hint of worry crease Lise's forehead. She herself had been terrified on her wedding day. But unlike herself, she did not think it was the fear of marriage itself that was troubling Lise, as she heard the crowd shriek as Hawk pulled yet another Amazon to the ground.

--

It was the sixth woman who finally held him firmly against the ground. He pushed against her, but she wouldn't budge. _What happened if he couldn't get up?_ he wondered. That would be quite a boring wedding, if the bride and groom never married.

He had his own strengths, though. He flinched one direction, and she moved to compensate, but in that split second, he slid out, quick as lightning, and stood. The Amazon looked angry as she fell against the grass. Was that cheating? No matter, he was going to make it through.

--

Lise forced herself to keep the worry of her face. She would never degrade the ancient ritual, but as much faith as she had in Hawk, she knew he would be taking a beating here. Eliza had pulled a couple Rune Maidens out for the wedding party, and they were known to be quick enough to match even Hawk's speed.

She flinched slightly, as Hawk seemed overwhelmed by the Amazon below. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation. But as quick as he had been caught, he escaped again in the blink of an eye. She never even saw him move.

She allowed herself a small smile. That was more like it.

--

Carlie felt Kevin take her hand in his own, and she settled down. It made her feel better. She turned to look him in the eye, sometimes forgetting herself how tall she was now.

Even though Lise had explained to her all about how Amazon weddings worked, she still thought it was very strange. Lise said they would pull back before Hawk got seriously hurt, but she was still worried what they would do without healing magic.

Hawk seemed to be struggling now, and she worried, too, what would happen if he could not win this fight. Would he really not be able to marry Lise? They were so happy together, that the idea of anything keeping them apart made her very sad.

--

Duran felt apprehensive. Even he himself would be struggling right now. He and Kevin had been helping their friend train for almost a year, and Kevin had been in Rolante the past month to finish the job, but was it enough?

The crowd cheered around him, but whether it was for Hawk, or the dark-haired Amazon, he did not know. This one had been much quicker than the rest, and she had definitely equaled Hawk. Duran realized that Eliza was the next, and last. He remembered his first impression of her, back in Palo; he had thought she was the strongest woman he had ever seen. He tensed as Hawk stood straight to face her.

--

Dripping sweat, with his muscles aching despite all his exercises with Duran, Hawk realized that only Eliza stood before him. As many times as they had sparred or shared a glass of wine, there was to friendliness in her face now. He set his jaw and prepared.

--

"I surrender!" shouted Eliza.

Hawk pulled himself to his knees. It was the hardest thing he had ever done. Ever bone in his body was crying out in pain, and he wanted to pass out from the exertion.

But then Eliza was next to him, and the other Amazons as well, with cool cloths and cups of water. Eliza held a cloth up to his head, and handed him a cup of water, which he gulped greedily. "It's over," she murmured, her head down so no one else could even tell she was speaking. "She has accepted you, and you have proved yourself. The rest is just conclusion." Hawk smiled despite himself.

He waited as his foes of only minutes before attended to him. Symbolic gesture aside, he was grateful for the attention. They wiped the sweat from his brow and chest, and removed his vest, replacing it with a silken shirt that felt soft against his skin. Finally, Eliza brought the ceremonial cloak to drape over his shoulders, signifying acceptance into the Amazon fold. Still kneeling with head bowed, Hawk gave a start when he saw the fringe trailing on the ground... It was not the soft cloak he had seen before, at Eliza's wedding, but a fur fringe on a forest green cloak. It was a king's cloak.

He looked up to see Lise standing before him. Her faced held a mixture of concern, love, and above all pride. It was worth it.

"I, the Amazon Lise of Rolante, declare this man, Hawk of Navarre, to be my worthy husband." Hawk though he was supposed to get up now, but when he started to, Lise gently pushed down on his shoulder. _Well, I guess I can hang out here for another minute_, he thought.

Lise spoke louder this time, so no one in the courtyard could miss her words. Possibly they heard her in Palo as well...

"I, Queen Rieszella of Rolante, declare this man to be King Hawk of Rolante, my partner in rule for all the rest of our days together, and the father of the heirs to be." When he looked up this time, Elliott was standing next to her, holding a green pillow. Lise picked the crown up from the pillow, holding it for the whole crowd to see, as she set it on his head. "Rise, my king and husband."

He did, while the courtyard erupted in cheers and applause, feeling momentarily uncomfortable being on display that way. But when he turned to Lise… nothing mattered anymore. It was done, the woman he loved was finally his wife.

To his left he felt a presence, and turned to see Jessica, right on time. He had known she was truly happy for him, when she had asked to perform the Navarrian ritual in place of Eagle. It was only fair, after all, that something in the day come from his own customs.

Despite barely coming to Lise's nose, Jessica still managed to impose for the role. "As is the custom in Navarre," she announced to the gathered Rolantish, "the new husband and wife are joined by this hempen rope, left hand to right hand. This indicates that she will be his left hand, and he her right, for the rest of their days." She looped a length of rope over first his, left, then Lise's right wrist, leaving a short length in between them. Thus bound, they turned and walked into the castle, side by side.

Suddenly, Hawk had a rather wicked idea. "Wait a minute," he said to Lise.

"Why, what is it husband?" she asked, fluttering her eyes teasingly.

He turned to the crowd. "Well, you made me earn her," he called ."So now I'm going to take her." Reaching to first remove her crown before it fell to the floor, he grabbed her around the waist, throwing her over his left shoulder as comfortably as the rope linking them would allow. His arms burned, but it was worth it to hear the laughter and whistles behind him. Lise, after a moment of shock, broke out in happy laughter herself.

Nevertheless, once out of view, he had to set her back down again, before sheer exhaustion made him drop her. Smilingly, she looked up at him, as they began to climb the stairs to their rooms.

--

Lise reached for the door to the wardrobe, when Hawk tugged the rope that still bound them together to pull her to him.

"Don't you want to change before we return downstairs?" she laughed, between kisses.

"In a moment," he replied, "but there's something I want to do with my new wife first."

She fluttered her lashes at him flirtatiously. But as she reached for the tie around her wrist, he stopped her.

"That's part of the custom," he told her. "You can't take it off until _after_."

"How do we do that?"

"I'll show you," her husband told her, and soon enough she was laughing all over again.

--

Lise walked slowly down the main corridor of Rolante Castle, ever more dear to her since its recapture. Her kingdom, her life, her home.

She craved a moment of solitude, away from her people, her friends, even her new husband, who had kissed her sloppily before she left him pouring goblets of wine with Angela, Duran, and Kevin. Even Carlie, trying so hard to look grown up, had joined them.

Lise felt too pensive to join them quite yet. She was a married woman now, and somehow this seemed harder even than being a queen. Why, was what she was trying to figure out.

Of course, a queen was rarely alone, and this was no different, as she attempted to ignore the footfalls behind her. Steadily they caught up, to appear at her side. Lise turned - to find Valda, Queen of Forcena.

Angela's mother has always been something of an enigma to Lise. Her history... it was so strange. A queen now twice over, and before Angela, the most powerful wizard in generations. A young ruler who had fought the Dragon Emperor and thought herself victorious, only to find herself exploited by the enemy, and afterwards, to rise again.

Forcena was quite proud of its new queen, and the son she had given birth to. Despite the country's centuries-old scorn for magic, they respected knowledge, and the learned and intelligent Valda was winning them over.

And recently, some were calling Valda by a new name. The Priestess of Mana. The only Grand Divina in the world had started to make her mark, helping preserve the memory of Mana and magic, while Carlie preached the new Goddess. Lise knew the two women, the one middle-aged, the other young, had been talking and making plans for new temples, new cities, so that the world might be ready when Mana returned to the world.

So many faces, so many names. Who was she, really?

Well, for now, a tall, violet-haired woman taller than her by only a couple of inches. "May I walk with you?" asked the deep, velvety voice.

"Of course," replied the Queen of Rolante with regal politeness. Behind that formal voice, Lise cringed slightly, as the two Queens walked together in silence.

"Where's the baby?" Lise interjected, uncomfortably.

"With Angela and Duran. The baby's named after Duran's father, you know, who Richard and I lost in Dragon's Hole so many years ago. If Loki could be here today, I think he would be delighted to see what happened to his friends and his son."

"If only all those we lost could be with us still," Lise concurred.

Another long silence ensued.

"You don't remember me." Valda's voice was flat as she spoke first.

Lise weighed her words carefully. "Whatever do you mean?"

Valda's hand on her arm stopped Lise in her tracks. "It was many years ago. It was Richard's coronation. You, by your mother's side, she expectant with your brother..."

A sudden jolt of pain shot through Lise, as flickers of memory came to the surface and hit her sharply. "Wait... I do remember... something..." She had been so young then, there had been so much going on that day, but still... She reached for her head involuntarily.

Valda's face was all cool compassion as she supported her Rolantic peer. Lise didn't remember leaning against the wall. "You barely remember your mother, don't you?" Valda asked.

"I wish I could," replied Lise.

She turned her head to meet Valda's gaze, emerald eyes meeting ice blue. "Perhaps I can help," the older woman murmured.

"You knew her?" Lise half-cried.

"To a point. Your Majesty... you may call yourself Queen, but deep down you are only Lise, and you are not so different from the little girl I met so long ago." Valda sighed. "As am I, in some ways, the same young woman I once was. Yes, Lise, I knew her, and I saw much of her in you then, and now. What is it you want to know?"

--

Lise and Valda reentered the wedding hall an hour later, Lise wiping the last of her tears away. What was past was past, she realized; and the older woman by her side was not at all what she had thought her to be.

"_Liiisssssseeee_!!" Angela yelled, leaning precariously on Duran's arm, who himself seemed a little wobbly. Valda did not even blink at her daughter's intoxication. That was the way of Altena; once a woman was queen, she was queen, and not even her mother would correct her.

Lise suppressed a sigh. Her friends had certainly continued the celebration without her, and Goddess only knew what Eliza and others had been pouring down their throats. Hawk and Kevin seemed stable enough, but Carlie had a giddy smile on her face. Bad influences, all.

But she didn't care. Those were here friends - and her husband.

Speaking of, he came towards her, only a touch more flirtatious than normal, wrapping her up in a cozy embrace. He turned her face to kiss her; her instinct was to turn away in front of others.

But he only laughed. "Don't act so shy, after what we were doing only an hour or two ago." As soon as the blush hit Lise's face, she lost control enough for Hawk, her husband, to kiss her rather thoroughly.

Angela stumbled up to them. She was rather thoroughly, magnificently drunk. "Here, Lise!" she slurred. She and Duran had brought a barrel of prized of Altenan icewine, much of which was currently sloshing out of her goblet onto the floor.

With some primness, Valda accepted the full goblet Duran offered her with his left hand, his right arm using all its strength to grasp her inebriated daughter. To Lise's surprise, she easily drained it, as Hawk passed Lise another of the potent potions, pressing it to her lips himself.

He _was _a bad influence, and a good one even more so. She loved it all, she thought, as she ingested the sweet liquid. The new King of Rolante. Intelligent, clever, trustworthy, and strong enough to be by her side, but she knew the real reason she had him there was the pure love he bore for her. The missing piece no one else could not fill.


	52. Epilogue: Carlie

**52. EPILOGUE (CARLIE)**

Her grandfather had been getting steadily worse for quite some time, Carlie knew.

Though she was twenty-three now, to most observers she would appear to be fourteen or so. A wise fourteen-year-old.

Her trip last year to her family in Diorre had given her a better picture of the elf life stages and how they differed from human. The elves had thought she was at least thirty.

In any case, she had been an anointed High Priestess for three years now. She knew she was not a child any longer.

She climbed the stairs to her grandfather's quarters. Heath had already left by the time she arrived. All the messenger had been able to tell her was that he wanted to speak to them of an important matter concerning them both.

She kneeled next to his bed, which many days now he was forced to stay in. He still held audiences two days a week, but Carlie had the bulk of the time, now. "Grampa," she said, using the form of address she had used as a child.

"Charlotte, my granddaughter." It must be serious if he used her full name. Even Lise used her second name more often. "I won't be around much longer, and I want to know you are well taken care of before I leave this world and join the Goddess." Carlie nodded.

"As I figure, your elven heritage will make your lifespan two hundred years or more. So I expect that you will have the time to have at least two or three husbands. But right now… I want someone who will be able to guide you as a Priestess, protect you, and give you children. I have thought long and hard about this." Carlie paused in anticipation.

The Priest coughed, then cleared his throat. "I would like you and Heath to marry. He will be a good first husband to you, Carlie, I know."

She considered it. _Heath, her husband_. When she was a girl, she had fantasized about it, but that was before she really knew what went on between men and women, and she had forgotten it with many of her other girlish thoughts. But now her grandfather brought up the idea on what might very well be his dying bed…

"I can't force you," her grandfather continued, "but I urge you to think on my wishes. Heath received my request with uncertainty, but stated he would honor my desires, if you were so willing. The rest, my child, is up to you."

Carlie knew what her answer would be. "Yes, I will, Grampa," she replied. "I can feel it. The Goddess would wish it so."

--

After her own home, Rolante was Carlie's favorite place. Lise agreed with her that being on the mountain heights really made one feel closer to the Goddess.

She sat with Lise on the terrace outside Carlie's guest quarters. Carlie felt like talking to another woman, and Lise seemed the ideal. Not that she didn't love Angela as well, but Lise would listen, and know exactly what to say.

Hawk had just left them, having returned only that morning from his most recent trip to Navarre. "Jess's got it down to three men she's choosing from," he had told them, laughing. "_I_ know which one she'll pick, even if she doesn't."

"Well, a co-ruler will come in handy for her, even if she refuses to be called Queen," Lise responded, looking fondly at her own husband and king.

But Lise's mood grew more serious as Hawk left, taking their six-month-old daughter, Aliota, for her nap. "Are you ready for this, Carlie?" Lise asked. "I mean, you know what goes on between husband and wife, right?"

Carlie did. It had been Hawk himself who had gently explained it to her, at Angela and Duran's wedding. "You mean Angela and Duran are doing _that _right now?" she had squealed, causing Valda to turn around with a mildly chiding expression.

But she was older now, and things were different. Carlie remembered Hawk telling her a story about how innocent Lise herself had been at first. "Yes, Lise, I know," she replied. "But I feel that we can do this for the Goddess, who would want to see both us and my grandfather happy. Our marriage will be blessed."

"Besides," she added, her childlike excitement bubbling to the top, "I sort of _want _to." She cupped her head in her hands, smiling wide.

Lise smiled in understanding.

--

Carlie's marriage to Heath was a quiet affair, after the grandiose events of her friends. It was just friends and family, in the Temple of Light, the sunset shining through the stained glass windows.

They did look a little odd together, Lise had to give. Though in fact, they were only ten years apart, Carlie's elven youthfulness contrasted with Heath's slender and face carved with worry. If she didn't know what had happened to give him that look, she would have said he was at least forty-five.

Heath was the one who looked more afraid. He stuttered his vows slightly, seeming almost surprised he was there. He was a good man and had cared for Carlie for years, but being put in this position, being asked to be not just her caretaker but her husband, was apparently quite fearful for him. Carlie, on the other hand, made her vows in a clear, loud voice, looking at her husband-to-be without fear.

Lise looked at Hawk. He was not someone she had expected to be with herself, and now she couldn't imagine being without him. Perhaps Heath and Carlie had the makings of a great love as well.

--

Angela watched Carlie's wedding vows with interest. Heath was a nice-looking man, if a little skinny, and he could be a good husband, as long as hopefully he could see Carlie as a woman.

Angela had no such problem doing so. The half-elf girl she had met as a child now towered over her by several inches and had fine, slender angular features, a willowy figure, and hair reaching past her waist.

She and Lise had carefully pried Carlie for details about Heath, and given her plenty of pointers on what to expect as a married woman. Lise had some surprising suggestions. Seven years with Hawk had certainly changed her.

But above and beyond that… Carlie approached her marriage as a sort of holy experience. Angela hoped fervently that Heath took that attitude as well.

--

It was very sad, Carlie losing her grandfather within a year after her wedding, then her new husband four years later. So Lise was pleased when Carlie asked to come to Rolante for a while. She had missed Carlie's refreshing presence, and her two daughters, Aliota and Jelissa, really loved her as well...

Carlie had been changed by her loss. She didn't seem sad, she didn't cry, she seemed to accept what had happened. But to Lise, the difference was obvious. Carlie had lost part of her spirit, and where before she was full of life and enthusiasm, now she seemed passive and listless.

Lise talked with her late one night, where finally Carlie confessed about how much she missed him, and how they had really come to love each other after their first fear of being together. As her grandfather had wanted, he had helped her become the powerful and influential High Priestess of Light she was today.

"And," Carlie confessed to Lise, late that night, "my grandfather's third wish has been filled as well." She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"I'm going to have a child."

--

Hawk watched from the archway as Carlie and Elliott chased butterflies together, tearing full speed over the hillside. Never mind that Elliott was twenty-one already, and Carlie was halfway through her pregnancy, they both laughed like little children together.

They had once _been _barely children together. He remembered finding them together at his wedding to Lise, Elliott thirteen, and Carlie basically the same age, elf stuff factored in. Of course, he had other things on his mind that day, but he later managed to pry out of Elliott that they had been kissing in one of the upper turrets of the castle. Later, he was surprised when Lise wasn't even angry, she only giggled.

He wondered if there would be something there. _How would this even work?_ Elliott had certainly turned out to be a fine young man, in part due to Hawk's influence (he thought, modestly), but despite her youthful looks, Carlie was a widow, and had been married for almost five years.

Well, at least Carlie had decided to stay in Rolante to have her child. He was glad for that; he and Lise both loved the little girl-now-woman who had bravely accompanied them on their quest. _She has closer friends here than in Wendel_, he thought, _and the Goddess is here too_.

--

"Lise?" she heard her brother's voice, at the door to her study. "Are you busy?"

Lise put the book she was looking over aside. "Of course not, Elliott," she greeted him. "Come on in."

For some reason, he seemed to be quite hesitant today, where usually he just strolled right in... He moved warily, pushing his golden hair, the same color as hers, out of his eyes. She remembered being able to reach down and tousle his hair. Now, of course, she would have to reach up.

Entangling her fingers and propping her chin up on her hands, she smiled at him. "What's going on, Elliott?"

"Oh, nothing, just have been with Carlie and Heath today."

"How's he doing?"

"Oh, very well, I'm glad. Looks a little like his father, but he cries like his mother."

Lise laughed lightly. Carlie's son had definitely inherited her spirit, along with her blue eyes.

Elliott turned serious then. "Carlie says she feels stronger, now that she has her baby with her. She plans to go back to Wendel soon. And," he paused nervously, "I told her I'd go with her."

Lise drew in a breath. She had known, of course, this was coming, and Hawk's observations had only reaffirmed her own hidden fears. But now, it was right in front of her. She knew it was Elliott's idea; Carlie would never ask him to leave his home. But knowing he wanted to, and knowing he and her friend wanted to be together, she knew she could not deny him, either as his sister or his queen.

So she stood up, walked over to him, and hugged him as she hadn't since he was a child. "I'll miss you."

She realized, deep down, that Hawk was the man in her life now, anyway. Where she used to take care of her brother, now her husband took care of her.

"Thanks, sis," he answered.


	53. Epilogue: Angela

**53. EPILOGUE (ANGELA)**

They had been married twelve years now, and although those years had been happy, Angela still woke up and was surprised to see Duran next to her. There was something of the awkward newlyweds about them still.

But she had other worries as well. Twelve years of marriage, and still no heir to the throne of Altena. Goddess, she couldn't believe _Carlie _had a child before she did.

And Lise now had _three _with the arrival of Alluma. When his third daughter was born, Hawk joked that it was lucky he had so much experience with women. Anyone but Lise might have been offended, but she laughed right along with him.

What was wrong? What if she and Duran couldn't have children together? She was a queen, and if they could not produce a heir, she knew that would force them to end their marriage, that was the way things were. A lump formed in her throat at the idea. She couldn't imagine being with someone else after all this time. There was too much that bound them together, too many adventures, too many successes, too many freaky monsters and near-death experiences.

Duran wanted a child, she knew that. He had brought it up first, and several times since. But it wouldn't happen. Perhaps her ten-year-old brother Loki would be inheriting Altena as well as Forcena.

She told him at dinner that evening. "I'm going to Wendel," she sprung on him. "I want to ask Carlie about the heir to Altena... err... that is... you know..."

He nodded. Duran was a man of few words, and sometimes she was quite thankful for that. He knew what she was talking about without making her spell out the fear. He wouldn't press her to talk before she was ready.

"When will you leave?" was all he asked.

"Tomorrow."

--

There was something peaceful about being in Wendel again. Normally she would have found it more calming to have Duran with her, but at the moment he would have just been a reminder of the problem she came here to confront. She needed the time alone to compose her thoughts.

As a valued friend of the High Priestess, she stayed in Carlie's personal apartments, upstairs in the Temple of Light. It made her feel somehow part of the Temple itself, even though it wasn't exactly her religion.

For the first couple days they laughed and visited and caught up on each other's lives. Angela remembered how Carlie had really been a kid when they first met her, albeit a tough one. Now, of course, she was a major leader and a mother. And more than that, a friend. She was able to talk to Carlie as an equal now, while little Heath ran around in circles around them on the terrace. Elliott had settled comfortably into his life in Wendel, and even though he and Carlie showed no inclination towards marriage yet, they made an intriguing little family.

It was on the fourth day that Carlie was the one who brought it up.

"So, you want to know why you and Duran haven't had children yet?"

"H... how did you know?" Angela asked. "Did the Goddess tell you?"

"No need to," Carlie responded. "I've been watching you looking at Heath for days. I can see it in your eyes, and hear it when you've been talking about Duran the past few days." She put her hand on Angela's arm gently.

Angela felt the tears starting to spill down her cheeks. "What if we can't?" she stammered. "Not only do I have to worry about producing a heir, but I'm scared I'll lose him as well!"

Carlie smiled sympathetically at Angela. "I think you're ready to talk to the Goddess now."

One of her maids was putting Heath down for his nap in the next room, so Carlie linked her arm with Angela's and began to walk her toward the heart of the temple. Carlie did have a very soothing presence, Angela observed; she had blossomed into her role admirably. It helped soothe her beating heart; she was scared of what she might learn, what the truth might be, and _since when were the Goddess-damned halls of the Temple of Light this_ long?

Finally, they reached the inner sanctum. At this time of evening, when no public audiences were generally held, the room was quiet. The two women knelt in front of the Goddess statue there. The statue was the same, but nevertheless Angela thought she detected some resemblance to the Fairy in the Goddess's face.

Carlie closed her eyes, and a look of peace crossed her face. If Angela hadn't known better, she might have thought Carlie was sleeping, she was so still. For herself, Angela tried to focus, but couldn't seem to get to the same point. Controlling Mana was one thing, she had mastered that long ago; but allowing the Goddess herself to enter you was another skill altogether.

Finally, after an eternity in which Angela could hear nothing but her own heart beating, Carlie spoke, her eyes still closed. "You will not conceive a child with Duran until you surrender to the idea. Right know, you don't really want to, not with your whole heart."

"But how can that be?" Angela wailed. "I married Duran when my mother asked, I take care of my kingdom with him by my side, what more can I do?"

"Sometimes, you must speak with actions, and sometimes you must speak with words." Carlie opened her eyes. "I am sorry, Angela. That is all the Goddess will tell me. The rest, she said, is up to you."

--

Angela was still contemplating the advice she had been given as she arrived in Altena. Damn Goddess, that was just like the Fairy she had known, no straight answers for anything.

Duran was there to greet her when she arrived. "My wife," he greeted her with a smile, and took her hand.

Angela was troubled by the Goddess's words. What actions was she referring to? They had a good marriage, she thought they did everything right. What was she _supposed _to be doing?

Duran spoke. "It's getting late, Angela. I thought you might like to sleep early tonight, but I set up a special dinner for the two of us tomorrow night, if you're willing."

"That sounds nice," she murmured absentmindedly.

--

Tired or not, she still didn't sleep well, as comforting as it was to be in Duran's arms again. She kept wondering if something missing in their marriage. And if so, what it was.

But morning arrived, and turned into afternoon and then evening. A distracted Angela put on one of her most beautiful dresses in preparation for the dinner she had been promised. Duran arrived at the door to their bedchamber just as she was putting her finishing touches on.

He didn't tell her she looked beautiful. He never had to, because when she looked her best, the way his gaze lingered on her for moments, a combination of desire, and pride, and love, said it all.

He offered his arm to her as they walked down the hall together. She let him lead her, but his pace was unhurried, he matched his steps to hers. When they reached their private dining room, he opened the door for her and motioned to the table with the same flourish he used when showing off in sword work. His knight-trained chivalry did expand to romance rather well; she gasped despite herself, there were candles everywhere and the table was scattered with blue ice-roses, her favorite. Obviously when Duran said "special", he meant it. He had definitely gone out of his way on this one...

And then it hit her.

It wasn't she who needed to speak with actions. It was Duran who was already doing it, every day, showing her he loved her in a hundred different ways. And she realized, with a sinking feeling, that she had not reciprocated anywhere near the same level. She couldn't hope to do all the little things for him that he did for her, and he wouldn't have wanted her too, anyway.

It wasn't them, it was her. How could she have been so selfish? How could she have assumed that just going through their days following the pattern of husband and wife would be enough?

She knew what she had to do.

--

It was late at night, and Angela stared out the window as Duran lay behind her. All through dinner she had been composing herself. She had seen her husband in a new light, and that light still shone, keeping her awake.

Though she had done without Mana for many years, she remembered how she, the Magus, had learned to surrender to gain Mana's strength. The memory gave her encouragement. She turned back to him and, propping herself up on one elbow, whispered in his ear. "Duran, are you awake?"

"Mmmmmmmm," came the answer.

She took a deep breath, and leaned in closer. She didn't want to look at his eyes yet. And she found herself saying something she had never said before.

"Duran, my husband, I don't know how to tell you how I feel about you. You do so many things for me, every single day, that I don't know how to thank you. I wouldn't know what to do without you. I need you, and I love you more than anything, and I... I want to have a child with you."

Finally, she allowed herself to meet his eyes. They were now wide awake, and gazing at her with look of quiet surprise. She could see her own fear reflected there, but it slowly drained as he put his arms around her...

"I love you," was all he needed to say, as he pulled her to him.

--

Angela looked at her new daughter, Fairia. Starting her had been easy enough, but her friends weren't kidding about how much it hurt to get a baby out again. Carlie could commune with the Goddess, or whatever, to relieve the pain, and Lise bore it on her own - some Amazon custom, she supposed - but fortunately Altena had potions and herbs for such situations.

Having her mother there helped, too. Valda, former Queen of Altena, Grand Divina, current Queen of Forcena and Priestess of Mana, was smiling peacefully as she rocked the baby girl. A cough from her own daughter, and she finally relinquished her granddaughter to Angela's arms.

"She's beautiful," observed Duran, just on her right. She really was, Angela agreed, not just with the pride of new parents. She had the fine Altenan features, but her eyes were a deep blue instead of her mother's dark grey, and Duran's dark hair had mixed with her own violet to make a rich burgundy.

She wasn't still entirely comfortable with the concept of children, but this was one she and Duran had created together. Looking up at the baby's father, she knew that finally, they had what they really wanted.


	54. Epilogue: Flammie

**54. EPILOGUE (FLAMMIE)**

Carlie placed the flowers on Hawk's grave. His final request was to be buried next to Lise, on the mountaintop facing the desert, with his grave dressed in Navarre flowers and hers in Rolantish.

They had been fortunate, both had reached their ninetieth birthday, even as their friends were gone. All except Carlie. Well, Lise had passed the same year, and it was left to Hawk, the luckiest, to survive them all. Now he, too, had joined the Goddess.

Carlie might have felt lonely, but she had long since accepted her lifespan would be much longer, by virtue of her elven roots. Since Elliott had died, fifteen years earlier, she had been debating finding a third husband. She could even have a couple more children, to name Hawk and Lise. Elliott had been surprise when she had given birth to their fifth child, at age seventy-five. So now she had six: Heath, Leroy, Shayla, Kevin, Angela, and Duran.

Even in her mid-nineties, she still looked like a good-looking woman of barely forty. The Faerie king assured her that, even into account her human heritage, she could have children until a hundred years old, and possibly beyond.

She had finally understood that was why elf and human love was forbidden. In the end, it caused pain, and confusion. But no matter what happened, she had the Goddess now, the new Goddess who had once been the Fairy. Though Angela had carried the Fairy home to the Holyland, it had been Carlie who had been close to her ever since.

Her first son, Heath, climbed the mountain of Rolante to join her. Despite being thirty years younger, he looked within ten years of her visible age. And his children even closer still; all were often mistaken for siblings. She had realized, three or four generations down, there would be no more elf blood in her descendants than in the population at large.

She thought of going north. It had taken many blessings on her part, and many brave soldiers from Navarre and Rolante, to rehabilitate the dark castle, but twenty years later, the new nation of Lumina was alive and growing.

The Glass Desert had become a valuable resource for materials, especially for all the new technology instigated by Altena during Angela and Duran's reign. Pedan had been rebuilt by the Altena-Forcena alliance, and Valda had turned the ancient city into a prestigious academic community, dedicated to preserving knowledge of Mana, for the day it would return to the world. Navarre's cultivation of Pedan plants had worked admirably, and the oases had slowly restored in the new environment. It had become a true nation now, though they still refused to use the titles King and Queen as a memory of the old days.

Kevin had instigated the rebuilding of Astoria, a few years before his death twenty years ago, along with the second Goddess temple there. Although all the beastmen had helped tear down the rotten buildings at night, as the sun came up, Kevin had transformed to human and laid the first temple stones himself, with his crown on his head.

Well, if the Goddess had taught her anything, it was that everything comes again. Hawk and Lise now lay together at the top of Rolante, looking towards Navarre, but their spirits, and that of her other friends, lived on. She only had some more time than most, to keep the faith until Mana came again.

Her white robes rustled as she turned to go, but behind her she heard a whoop-whoop in this distance. She looked back to see a white dragon across the ravine. It looked as sad as she wanted to feel.

It reminded her that one could always be lonelier. Yet at the same time, one could always find friends again. So she knelt on the mountain, between the final resting places of Hawk and Lise, and together she and Flammie watched the sun rise over Rolante, as she let her mind return to forever.


	55. Glossary

**Author's note:** The Glossary was primarily intended for my friends who don't know the game, but it also elaborates on some aspects of the history and philosophy that I expanded for the story. It, and the Timeline that follow, have tidbits that didn't make it into the main text.**  
**

**GLOSSARY**

**ALTENA **is a kingdom of the northern ice country. Faced with the challenges of the endless winter, Altena turned, hundreds of years ago, to the use of magic to become one of the most powerful and rich countries in the world. Their prowess in magic relies on the careful use of logic, a major value of the kingdom; their Queen is called the "Queen of Reason," and is one of their most powerful magic users. Applying their magic has also given Altena the most advanced technology of the world, and riches surpassing even those of Rolante (see ROLANTE). Though Altenans believe in the Goddess, they do not worship her directly, as in the "Goddess religion" centered in Wendel (see WENDEL), which is followed in most of the world. Their brand of religion is commonly called "Elemental religion" or "Mana religion", a more secular form focusing not on the Goddess herself, but Her power as derived through her underlings, the Elemental spirits (see ELEMENTAL). Magic has kept the forbidding ice country habitable, and as Mana fades, Altena faces the most dire chances of survival. Women of Altena have developed a reputation for beauty and seductive behavior.

**ANGELA, PRINCESS OF ALTENA** is exiled by her mother for her inability to use magic. She is chosen by the Fairy by random chance (see FAIRY), forcing her into the uncomfortable role of heroine, and sticks with it first out of the chance for personal benefits. As the journey goes on, she finds herself growing into the responsibility she has been given despite herself. She realizes her mother may be controlled by Koren, and seeks revenge (see KOREN). Her relationship with Duran of Forcena (see DURAN) begins as a shared goal and develops into an intimate relationship; her relationship with Lise (see LISE), at first marked by sexual jealousy and envy of the Amazon-Queen's competence, grows into a close friendship. She is nineteen years old, slender, with wavy violet hair, dark grey eyes, and an hourglass figure that makes most men - and women - stare.

**ANGELA: CLASS CHANGES** Even without being able to use magic, Angela is considered to be a Magician, a beginning student. The term becomes derogatory when used on a more advanced magic user; mage or wizard is preferred. Angela always imagined that when she finally was able to use magic, she would advance to Sorceress, a user of advanced but safely structured magic spells that Altena has perfected over many years. From there she could become a Grand Divina like her mother, Queen Valda (see VALDA); or the high-level magic user, the Archmage. Once faced with the choice, though, she decides to pursue the path of the Oracle, the slang for which is Delvar. This path is dangerous, and its second class change even more so; many who attempt it suffer death or insanity. The Oracle does not use the holy magic developed in conjunction with Wendel, instead pursuing dark magic. Emotions drive the Oracle, and magic flows through her in sometimes uncontrolled states. This is often considered "illogical" by the Sorceress caste, but is the way novel magics are developed. Wendel considers this path somewhat heretical. From there, the Oracle can follow to the Rune Master, who develops powerful combined versions of traditional spells. The darkest path, the Black Magus (called just Magus for short) channels the largest possible flow of Mana power. The risk is that this branches into chaotic powers, and the flow can never be controlled completely; only those who can accept this can survive the change. This power makes the Black Magus rare, and feared. Koren holds this status, although it is unlikely he gained it through normal means (see KOREN).

**BEAST KINGDOM, THE **(proper name: Ferolia) is the newest kingdom of the world, having been carved out only within the last forty years by the Beast King. They can change from human to werewolf at night, a gift from Luna. Despite Wendelic preaching that all are equal under the Goddess, the Beastmen endured centuries of persecution by humans. They joined forces under their leader and turned their tribal groups into a cohesive nation. The Kingdom has a strong bond with animals and nature in general. The average Beastman despises humans, but the Beast King, having once studied in Forcena, understands all are part of the whole. His half-human son may be their best chance to bridge the gap with humans. The Beast Kingdom attempts to invade Wendel, but the Priest of Light puts up a magic barrier to keep them out (see WENDEL; PRIEST OF LIGHT).

**BIGIEU **is a wizard of mysterious origins who becomes advisor to Flamekhan, the leader of Navarre (see FLAMEKHAN). She is fanatically devoted to her lord, the Dark Prince (see DARK PRINCE), and releases the Mana Stone of Fire to help him claim the Sword of Mana. She works together with Jagan, a vampire of the underworld. She frames Hawk for the murder of his best friend, Eagle, and places a cursed necklace on his sister, Jessica (see HAWK; EAGLE; JESSICA). She takes over the Kingdom of Rolante while seeking the Mana Stone of Wind.

**CARLIE OF WENDEL**, whose real name is Charlotte, is the granddaughter of the Priest of Light of Wendel (see PRIEST OF LIGHT; WENDEL) on one side, and the elven king on the other. She was born in the elven village of Diorre (see DIORRE). Her half-elven heritage expands her lifespan considerably; and her grandfather estimates that she will live for two hundred years. A priest of Wendel, Heath (see HEATH), helps take care of the orphaned Carlie, but when he is sent to Astoria on a mission by the Priest of Light, Carlie panics and follows, only to see him with a strange man who seems to kidnap him. Later, finding out her grandfather is ill, she seeks to cure him as well. She is not yet committed to the priesthood, not yet being old enough to choose; but her unusual life span means the Goddess has a special plan for her... She is fifteen, but looks and acts like a human ten-year old. She has wildly curly copper hair and big blue eyes, and wears the robes of a cleric of Wendel in blue and pink.

**CARLIE: CLASS CHANGES** Being from Wendel, most clerics like Carlie would become Priestesses. From there they proceed either to the Bishop, a holy class with the power to exorcise the undead; or to the Sage, as is the current Priest of Light (see PRIEST OF LIGHT), providing comfort to the masses. However, clerics can also change to Enchantresses, dark priests able to reach past death - in Carlie's words, "scary but cool." The second change for the Enchantress can lead to the Necromancer, who advances her abilities to summon souls, or the Evil Shaman, who can safely control the demons of the underworld, bringing them to do the Goddess's work.

**CLASS CHANGES **The Goddess allows those she deems worthy to make two increases to their abilities; though officially this is known as the "Gift of Mana", in practice most call them "class changes", a slang term which also conveys the nation-specific abilities received. The catch is that at each change, the candidate must choose either the Light or Dark path, forgoing the abilities of the other. The terms "Light" and "Dark" result from a common prejudice that the Dark element is evil and dangerous; more accurate descriptions might be "Stability" and "Chaos". Light classes are marked by honor, holiness, healing, defensive power, enhancing magic and logic. Dark characteristics include self-interest, summoning, destruction, offensive power, weakening magic, and chaos. Each path has its time and place. Also see specific character (ANGELA; CARLIE; DURAN; HAWK; KEVIN; LISE).

**DARK PRINCE, THE **was formerly an heir to the kingdom that guarded the Mana Stone of Light. He made a pact with the demons of the underworld to destroy his own kingdom, and lead them to conquer the overworld instead. After the kingdom's destruction, Wendel was founded to guard the Stone (see WENDEL). He now makes his seat on an island north of Rolante. Jagan is his demonic representative, and Bigieu his human (see BIGIEU). He can freely access the chaotic demon magics (see DEMON MAGIC). He plans to use the body of Elliott, Prince of Rolante, as a host body (see ELLIOTT).

**DAYS OF THE WEEK** are, in order, Luna's day, Salamando's day, Undine's day, Dryad's day, Jinn's day, Gnome's day, and the Mana Holy Day. Each Elemental is strongest on its day while, predictably, light elements are always stronger in daytime, and dark elements at night. The Mana Holy Day is the day where the elements are in balance.

**DEMON MAGIC aka DEATH MAGIC** is derived from the underworld, a place that exists to contain pockets of chaotic energy. This magic bypasses the Goddess and Mana completely, but is extremely dangerous and users are easily corrupted. The Dark Prince employs this form of magic extensively (see DARK PRINCE).

**DIORRE **is the elven kingdom from which Carlie's mother hails. The elves have largely withdrawn from humans over the centuries, avoiding human wars in order to stay in touch with nature. Though culturally distinct, they are not yet so biologically different that they can no longer breed with humans (see CARLIE; for comparison, KEVIN).

**DRAGON EMPEROR, THE** is a shadowy figure who has lurked in the background for many years. Some say he is part dragon himself; others say he is of the underworld, and his power may derive from there. Historical records indicate he was once a citizen of Pedan, centuries ago. Duran's father, Loki, traveled with King (then Prince) Richard to defeat the Dragon Emperor twelve years ago (see RICHARD). Loki and the Dragon Emperor fell into a bottomless pit and were both presumed dead, but the Emperor survived and trapped the soul of Loki into the cursed body of the Darkshine Knight. Koren of Altena received his power from the Dragon Emperor in exchange for a piece of Koren's soul (see KOREN). The Dragon Emperor destroyed the city of Pedan, seeking its magic to defeat the Goddess, and take her power for himself.

**DURAN OF FORCENA** is a mercenary knight in the service of King Richard. His father, Loki, was the closest friend of King Richard (see RICHARD). He is dedicated to swordsmanship, as his father was, but an attack by Altena highlights his weakness against magic. Richard allows him to travel to Wendel to learn how to class change. He has a prejudice against magic, but is forced to reevaluate his beliefs after meeting Angela - and learning some magic of his own. He seeks revenge on the Altenan wizard, Koren - especially after learning of the wizard's connection to the Dragon Emperor, who killed his father (see KOREN). He falls for Angela quickly (see ANGELA), but only slowly learns how to deal with his temperamental, beautiful woman. He is seventeen years old, medium height but well muscled. His long hair is a rich cinnamon that complements his blue eyes.

**DURAN: CLASS CHANGES** Duran is faced first with the choice of becoming a true Knight, a peaceful warrior committed to helping the weak, or a Gladiator capable of mastering the fight. He is tempted to follow the second path as his father did. His father proceeded from there to a Swordmaster, a warrior as one with his weapon, in order to protect King Richard; it seems likely Duran would have instead chosen the killing power of the Duelist. Recognizing that anger is his weakness, he becomes a Knight. This leads him to the options of (War)Lord, the rank of his mentor King Richard, a master of balanced marital skill; or the holy life of a Paladin, who possesses the healing power of the Wendel priests.

**EAGLE **is the son of Flamekhan and older brother to Jessica (see FLAMEKHAN; JESSICA); he is twenty years old. The orphaned Hawk became his best friend, eventually lover to his younger sister, a relationship Eagle encouraged (see HAWK). Eagle underwent both his class changes, at age sixteen and eighteen, to become a Wanderer (see HAWK: CLASS CHANGES). Bigieu came to the Navarre Sand Fortress with his father under mysterious circumstances (see BIGIEU), and began to exercise undue influence over Flamekhan. Eagle and Hawk together one night caught Bigieu and her demonic contact with Flamekhan, who was obviously being controlled by the woman. Eagle, rushing in, fell under Bigieu's influence as well; his Wanderer spells had been powerless against whatever demonic magic Bigieu possessed. He turned on Hawk, only recovering his senses as he lay bleeding his last on the floor. Hawk was accused of his murder, and scheduled for execution.

**ELEMENTALS, THE** (aka Elemental Spirits) are the underlings of the Goddess. After the God-Beasts were contained, the Elementals were created to guard the Mana Stones which contain the Beasts, and channel the energy the God-Beasts had corrupted into an ordered form, allowing life to thrive (see GOD-BEASTS; GODDESS). The eight elementals are: Lumina (Light), who also controls healing magic; Gnome (Earth); Jinn (Wind) (see ROLANTE); Shade (Darkness); Undine (Water); Salamando (Fire); Luna (Moon), representing the empty void, and the absence of permanence; and Dryad (Tree), who controls life magic sometimes considered to represent the purest form of Mana itself. Spells are derived by using and combining the power guarded by the Elementals; Altenan religion derives from this (see ALTENA).

**ELLIOTT, PRINCE OF ROLANTE**, younger brother of Lise (see LISE), was tricked into stopping the wind that protects his home castle, allowing a sleep pollen to enter the castle, disabling the Amazon army so that the Navarre raiders could conquer it (see ROLANTE). His kidnapping was incidental, but Bigieu and the Dark Prince suggest a new use for him... (see DARK PRINCE)

**FAIRY **The Fairies are messengers of the Goddess, and her heirs. As conflict grows, and the Goddess herself is threatened, the fairies are sent from the Holyland before it is too late, but only one survives. Unable to fly further, weakened by her time in the human world and the diminishing power of Mana, the Fairy adopts Angela as her host, much to the Altenan's chagrin (see ANGELA). The Goddess later warns Angela and her party that the Fairy is important above all other things, even the Sword.

**FLAMEKHAN **is the democratically elected leader of Navarre. He brought the mysterious Bigieu from the desert, to become his close advisor (see BIGIEU). Gradually, her influence over him became all-encompassing; it was said she used all means possible, including seduction, to put him under her control. He is father to Eagle, twenty years old, and Jessica, fifteen, and a mentor to Hawk (see EAGLE; JESSICA; HAWK). After Hawk escapes, Flamekhan becomes strangely ill as Bigieu seeks to remove him.

**FORCENA **is a strong country located in the grasslands; largely landbound, they use the ports of the independent cities Maia and Byzel, in exchange for military protection when required. Known for martial pursuits and the strength of its knights, particularly the elite corps known as the Knights of Gold, Forcena is nevertheless a major academic center, led by its learned ruler, King Richard (see RICHARD), who provides both information and financial support for the party.

**GOD-BEASTS, THE** are not true "beasts", but are concentrated chaotic forms of energy representing the eight elements. The Goddess took the chaotic energy that was the God-Beasts and corralled it, turning the chaotic elements into order, which she used to create the world. The Elemental Spirits were created to channel the ordered forms of these elements (see ELEMENTALS). The actual energy used for this corralling was stored in the Sword of Mana, as energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted (see SWORD). The energy of the God-Beasts was trapped in the Mana Stones, which were placed under the care of the Elementals (see STONES). Released, they are capable of converting to a corporeal form, though this leaves them vulnerable; they can be defeated this way, but their energy will flow first into the other God-Beasts, then finally into the Sword of Mana, to which they are bound. The Goddess can then use the Sword once again to restore Mana as it was.

**GODDESS **The Goddess has taken many forms through the years. In this age, she is considered to be female, though in actuality she is neither male nor female. She uses a tree as her corporeal form. Hawk hits very close to the truth when he wonders if the Goddess can age and die; in fact, this has been happening for hundreds of years. If she dies without leaving a heir, the Mana Stones will break and release the God-Beasts. Her creations, life-forms, are capable of self-replication, but the ability to use magic derives from Her. The Fairy will become the new Mana Tree, allowing life to exist; but until the tree grows, there will not be enough surplus energy to use magic (see MANA). Factions in the human world seek take advantage of the loss of Mana, in order to release the Stones guarded by the Elementals and seek the Sword (see ELEMENTAL; STONES; SWORD).

**GODDESS STATUES** are found throughout the land as places to worship. Some are enchanted by the blessings of the Wendel priesthood (see WENDEL), glowing with a soft golden light, and can, through this blessing, refresh travelers. These are most often found in major cities and other important locales. The more common grey stone statues, though unblessed, still seem to keep away monsters and beasts of warped Mana. Several persons have noticed the statue's resemblance to Lise; in fact, they were modeled on one of her Amazon ancestors.

**HAWK OF NAVARRE** Orphaned by a plague that hit the city of Sultan when he was too young to remember, he was rescued by Nikita's parents and brought to the Sand Palace of Navarre. No one knew his name, so the four-year old son of Flamekhan, Eagle, suggested the name "Hawk". The boys became close friends. When Eagle and Hawk walked in on Bigieu communicating with her demon contact, Eagle was controlled and killed (see BIGIEU). Hawk was framed for the murder and jailed. He could not confess innocence due to a curse placed on Jessica, nor could he kill Bigieu as the curse tied Jessica's life to her. After a tearful visit from Jessica, the guards an hour later to inform him he would be executed the next day. Nikita broke him out of jail, suggesting he travel to Wendel. Hawk's sarcasm and cynicism cover a deep romanticism. He had many lovers before linking with Jessica, and had thought she was the one he was to marry, until Eagle's death made him wonder if things could ever be the same again. That, and an intriguing young Amazon getting under his skin (see LISE). Even after Jessica's curse is broken, his desire for revenge, for Navarre's restoration, and for Lise, keeps him going (see FLAMEKHAN, EAGLE, JESSICA). He is seventeen, estimated, as he does not know his exact birthdate. He is slender, tall (about six feet). He has scruffy, silvery-purple hair, some of which he pulls back into a ponytail, olive skin, and tilted, warm brown eyes.

**HAWK: CLASS CHANGES** Hawk can become a Ranger, following the nature connection of his ancestors, or a Ninja, a quiet killer who has adapted magic to remove obstacles to the Rangers (see NAVARRE). The second change of the Ranger can be to the Wanderer, the purest form of the Ranger who uses magics of Moon and Tree (see EAGLE), or to the Rogue, a practical form using tools and simple weaponry to defend the forest. The Ninja may change to the Ninja Master, honing the skills of the Ninja to their highest level; or the Nightblade, who uses the same skills for novel, and deadly, purposes.

**HEATH **is a priest of Wendel, who helps take care of the orphaned Carlie (see CARLIE; WENDEL). He is sent by the Priest of Light to investigate Mana disturbances, and the mysterious light recently seen over the waterlands (see PRIEST OF LIGHT), but is instead seemingly kidnapped by the Deathjester.

**JESSICA **is the daughter of Flamekhan and younger sister to Eagle (see FLAMEKHAN; EAGLE). She was born six months after Hawk's arrival in Navarre; the two grew up together, falling in love when she was fourteen and he, sixteen (see HAWK). After her brother's death, Bigieu placed a cursed necklace on her, planning to sacrifice her life to unseal the Mana Stone of Fire (see BIGIEU).

**KEVIN OF THE BEAST KINGDOM** is the son of the Beast King; this makes him a prince, as humans understand it, but as the nation is new and this their first king, it is unclear whether the Beastmen will pass the throne to their heirs as humans do. Born after the conflicts that created his father's kingdom, and half-human through his mother, Kevin espouses a pacifistic philosophy. His beliefs unpopular in his own kingdom, Kevin began to feel more comfortable with the natural wolves of the forest, even being accepted into their pack. A mysterious man nicknamed Deathjester used magic to trick the leader, Karl, into attacking Kevin; defending himself, Kevin stumbled onto his ability to transform into wolf form, but, not realizing his wolfish power, ends up killing his wolf-friend. Deathjester tricks him into believing the Priest of Light can bring Karl back, and Kevin travels to Wendel to find out that was a lie. He seeks revenge on Deathjester, for the death of Karl and for his trickery. Kevin is fifteen years old, about the same height as Angela, but stocky from his powerful muscles. His orange-brown hair sticks out wildly like a lion's mane; his brown eyes have a definite golden cast to them, like those of a wolf.

**KEVIN: CLASS CHANGES** Though all Beastmen have strong physical power, some follow the path of the Monk in order to heal their comrades. Oddly, from the Monks, only the Beast King himself changed to a God Hand in the second change; while the others became Warrior Monks. Dryad grants some magic to these second classes, in the hope that they will protect the nature she is so proud of. It is said this indicates the Beast King is the chosen savior of the Beastman race. Most prefer to become a Bashkar. The Bashkars can change either to the Death Hand, whose anger creates a being of enormous strength, or to the Dervish, an emotionless creature that gains his strength from the lifeforce of other creatures. Luna boosts the abilities of the darker classes, having cultivated some of the underworld magics for her night creatures to use.

**KOREN **was a magician of minimal promise, who several years ago developed remarkably, becoming one of the most powerful magic users of Altena. He seems to have the powers of a Black Magus, a fearfully respected status (see ANGELA: CLASS CHANGES), but these powers were given to him, by the Dragon Emperor he now serves, rather than earned (see DRAGON EMPEROR). Having risen to power, he wields an unnatural influence over the Queen of Reason, Valda (see VALDA). Currently he has convinced her to pursue an aggressive agenda of releasing the power of the Mana Stones (see STONES), purportedly to save Altena from the effects of the diminishing Mana. Angela and Duran both have reasons to want revenge on him (see ANGELA; DURAN).

**LISE, PRINCESS OF ROLANTE** has been the leader of the kingdom's Amazon army since she was twelve. She also is a second mother to her brother since her mother died giving birth to him, when Lise was seven (see ELLIOTT). She has a second name, Rieszella, only used formally. After her father's death in the assault on the castle (see ROLANTE), she is now Queen Rieszella. Her Amazon sisters, in particular, rarely use this name and the most formal title they give her is "Miss." In the attack on Rolante, her brother, Elliott, was kidnapped while she ran to protect her blind father, and she feels terribly guilty, thinking she should have been able to protect them both. She has three goals driving her: to restore her kingdom, and to avenge her father and find her brother. Upon meeting Angela and Duran, she accompanies them in hopes that the Goddess can help her achieve these. Her relationship with Angela is at first rocky, but slowly blossoms into a close friendship (see ANGELA). She puts responsibility before herself, but the "selfishness" of her friend Angela and Hawk's determined affection (see HAWK) slowly teach her that womanhood may mean putting herself first. She is average height for a woman, her body slender but strong. Her long golden hair is often braided, but when let down makes a striking frame to her emerald eyes.

**LISE: CLASS CHANGES** Not all Amazons develop magic after class change, unless they have the latent ability, which Lise does. The ordinary path for an Amazon is to change to a Valkyrie, a powerful and brave warrioress, whose magic abilities enhance her allies. Lise chooses this path after briefly flirting with the idea of becoming a Rune Maiden - a rare choice in Rolante, whose mystical powers to weaken the enemy are sometimes seen as being less honorable. They are not true maidens - they freely take lovers and occasionally bear children - but Rune Maidens do not marry and form a close-knit minority in the Amazon army. The Rune Maidens can transition to Dragon Masters, who focus on attacking monsters, or the brutal Fenrir Knights, who prepare for human opponents. As a Valkyrie, Lise can become a Star Lancer, a spearmaster and mage, or the powerful demi-goddess Vanadis, whose separation of soul from body requires a sacrifice Lise may or may not be prepared to make. The strong religion of the Amazons allows those powerful enough to summon aspects of the Goddess (see ROLANTE).

**LUC **is the unit of currency currently in use. The denomination is universal, but the coinage itself is minted in many locations.

**MANA **is the power that creates order from disorder; it comes from the Goddess herself. Therefore, Mana is the power that creates life; its disruption can turn lifeforms into monsters. Life is defined by self-reproduction, and the Goddess is no different; but she must reproduce before she dies to maintain order (see GODDESS). Magic is the use of Mana in much the same way as the Goddess, though on a smaller level.

**MANA TONGUE** is the name for the language used by most humans. Beastmen have their own native language.

**NAVARRE **was once a lush forest, and its citizens were Rangers, protecting the forest and communing with nature. But as Mana began to fade, Navarre showed some of the harshest effects, as the forest began to revert to lifeless desert. Desperately, its citizens became first thieves, then developed ninja skills to survive under harsh conditions (see HAWK: CLASS CHANGES). With few natural resources left to them, Navarre began to develop its wealth through transactions both licit and illicit. Over a couple centuries, the "Thieves' Guild" housed at Navarre became rich enough to gain a status on par with the other major countries, though not a country itself. Nevertheless, it was the scandalous past and underground dealings that continued to label Navarre as a center of disreputable activity. The culture developed is sensual and decadent, further contributing to the reputation of Navarre. Navarrese women are said to put the seductive women of Altena to shame. The core of Navarrese power is in the Sand Fortress, also called the Sand Palace. The nearby cities of Deen and Sultan are currently unaffiliated. Navarre conquers the kingdom of Rolante, ostensibly as a new home for its people as the desert becomes ever more inhospitable (see ROLANTE).

**PRIEST OF LIGHT, THE** is the High Priest of the Holy City Wendel (see WENDEL). The current man in this position holds the rank of Sage (see CARLIE: CLASS CHANGES). He is sought by many around the world for advice. He falls ill after casting a barrier to prevent Wendel from invasion by the Beast Kingdom, and only Heath can save him (see HEATH; BEAST KINGDOM). Carlie is his granddaughter (see CARLIE).

**RICHARD, KING OF FORCENA** (see FORCENA) was once accompanied by a fairy himself, when twelve years ago, he and Duran's father Loki (see DURAN) went on a quest to defeat the Dragon Emperor (see DRAGON EMPEROR). He was at one point close to Queen, then Princess, Valda of Altena (see VALDA), but only finds out years later about the daughter that resulted.

**ROLANTE **is the Wind Kingdom of the mountains. The natural defenses of the mountains, and the strong winds they are able to control through the permission of the Wind Elemental, Jinn (see ELEMENTALS) allow them to protect both their Mana Stone and the natural resources which make them the naturally richest country in the world. Altena is the only richer but has achieved this through magical means (see ALTENA). Their army is composed of female Amazon warriors, though men have important roles in building and defense; their belief is that it is the role of women to know both death and birth equally. Their position high in the mountains makes them feel closer to the Goddess, and they are nearly as religious as Wendel. Those that succeed in a second class change can summon aspects of the Goddess directly (see LISE: CLASS CHANGES). The castle is known as the "Castle That Never Fell", but the mysterious magic of Navarre (see NAVARRE) puts the castle under a sleeping spell and it is conquered. Princess Lise narrowly escapes, being in the basement at the time the spell swept the castle (see LISE). The Navarre raiders intimidated the prince, Elliott, into deactivating the wind that could have protected the castle from their spell (see ELLIOTT).

**STONES. THE MANA STONES** were created by the Goddess (see GODDESS) to form both a physical and magical barrier to the God-Beasts. The barrier can be broken magically to access the Stone's immense power, but this leaves it vulnerable to physical breakage as well, allowing the God-Beast to escape (see GOD-BEASTS). Unsealing two or three stones will give enough power to open the gate to the Holyland, the Goddess's home, and the location of the Sword of Mana (see SWORD). The Stone can be resealed, and the God-Beast trapped, using the power in the Sword; the Goddess has become too weak to do so herself. The Stones are unsealed by: Light - Heath, Earth - Koren, Wind - Darkshine Knight, Water - Koren and/or Valda, Fire - Bigieu, Moon - Deathjester, Wood - Koren (see KOREN; VALDA). The Dark Stone is broken by the God-Beast from the inside, having received power from other God-Beasts.

**SWORD. THE MANA SWORD** is not truly a sword, but a container for the energy the Goddess used to trap the God-Beasts in the Mana Stones, and subvert their power to create life (see GODDESS; STONES; GOD-BEASTS). The God-Beasts therefore are tied to the Sword, and the wielder can contain or release them. When they are first released, it is easier to return them to the Sword's control. The Sword has a layer of protection from the Goddess; but once removed, the energy is available to any magic user. Angela and her party seek to reseal the stones and defeat those who seek to exploit their energy; they think they can use the power to restore weakening Mana, but later find out they are wrong.

**VALDA, QUEEN OF ALTENA** is a powerful sorceress, whose magic keeps the inhabited areas of the ice country warm. She has undergone her final class-change to the rank of Grand Divina (see ANGELA: CLASS CHANGES). This path, implying a connection to the traditional Goddess-Worship of other countries, was chosen to facilitate better diplomatic relations. The alternative, the Archmage, emphasizes on the "Mana-religion" that Altena follows, and would have indicated a focus more on internal affairs. As Mana withers, and her power is no longer able to keep the country warm, she takes on a shadowy advisor, Koren (see KOREN). He convinces her to begin siphoning power off the Mana Stone of Ice (see STONES), though she does not dare tell this to her people. As she draws more and more off the Mana Stone, Koren begins to place more pressure on her to release the seal on the Stone completely, and get the Mana Sword. She has a past - and a daughter - with King Richard of Forcena (see RICHARD).

**WENDEL **is the center of the "Goddess religion"; though all the world believes in the Goddess, variants of the religion exist (see ALTENA). It was founded to protect the Mana Stone of Light during the decline of the ancient Kingdom of Light (see DARK PRINCE), and wields considerable moral and political power. Most people try to make the pilgrimage to Wendel once in their life; the birth of a child is often the motivating event, to get the High Priest's blessing. Wendel also blesses some Goddess Statues (see GODDESS STATUES). The current Priest of Light has class-changed to a Sage (see PRIEST OF LIGHT), while the Priest Heath had expected to become a Bishop before a series of unfortunate events (see HEATH). Hearing of the Jad invasion through prayer to the Goddess, the Priest raised a magical barrier to the path to Wendel through the Cave of Waterfalls; after the barrier is broken by the Fairy, he creates a stronger barrier in the nick of time, before the Beastmen enter the city (see BEAST KINGDOM). This takes its toll on the health of the elderly priest, and Carlie is now faced with the prospect of losing both her grandfather and Heath (see CARLIE).


	56. Timeline

**TIMELINE**

-5. (Salamando) Hawk returns to Bigieu's announcement in early morning. Hawk argues with Jessica in the early evening.

-4. (Undine) At night, Koren attacks Forcena on a scouting mission. Eagle is killed shortly after midnight, and Hawk is taken to jail.

-2. (Jinn) Beastmen plan their attack. Kevin is attacked by Karl.

-1. (Gnome) Duran decides to go to Wendel. Hawk is sentenced. Jessica visits him in jail. Nikita helps him escape and tells him to go to Wendel.

1. (Holy Day) Duran departs Forcena in the morning with Richard's blessing. Angela escapes the Altena castle. Hawk arrives in Sultan.

3. (Salamando) Angela wakes in Elrand.

4. (Undine) Angela leaves for Jad. Duran takes a ship to Jad from Maia in the morning. Beastmen take Jad.

5. (Dryad) Rolante is attacked in the night, and Lise escapes. Heath leaves Wendel to investigate the mysterious light.

6. (Jinn) Lise arrives in Palo in the morning and takes ship for Jad. Duran arrives at Jad in the evening.

7. (Gnome) Hawk arrives in Jad in the evening. Kevin arrives in Jad late at night. Carlie sneaks out of the Temple of Light, searching for Heath.

8. (Holy Day) Angela arrives in Jad in the morning. Lise arrives slightly after noon. Angela catches a few hours of sleep at the inn, and leaves to Astoria in the evening, arriving just short of midnight. Heath meets Deathjester, afternoon.

9. (Luna) Duran leaves Jad about 4am and sees the light, but loses it and heads directly to Cave of Waterfalls. Angela is awoken by a light in the early morning (about 3am). She finds the Fairy and returns to Astoria just after dawn to find the town destroyed. She meets Duran at the entrance to the Cave of Waterfalls. Hawk leaves Jad just after sunset, enters the cave in mid-evening, not stopping to sleep.

10. (Salamando) Carlie reenters the cave that morning, and is found by Angela and Duran at midday. At sunset, Angela and Duran enter the Temple of Light. Lise leaves Jad around 3am and enters the Cave of Waterfalls at dawn, not stopping to sleep. Kevin leaves Jad short of midnight.

11. (Undine) Angela and Duran return to the Cave of Waterfalls. They have just missed both Hawk and Lise, who have arrived (separately) during the night (1am/6am). Lise glimpses Hawk in Wendel, but does not get a close look. Angela and Duran rest at the same Goddess statue as before. Hawk meets the Priest in the morning, and is told Bigieu must remove the curse himself, or he needs the Sword of Mana. Lise meets the Priest in the afternoon, and is told there are survivors, and to seek them out and retake the castle first. Carlie meets Angela and Duran outside the cave; they do not allow her to accompany them.

12. (Dryad) Sometime towards evening, Angela and Duran fight the giant crab. While they are in the other side of the cave, around noon, Kevin enters into Wendel. After Kevin's arrival, Hawk begins the return trip around sunset, and encounters Beastmen, who capture him around midnight. Angela and Duran kiss passionately, and Angela is granted magic. Angela and Duran encounter Beastmen on the way back. Kevin sees the Priest in the evening, who tells him that nothing can be done about Karl, and he swears revenge on Deathjester. Carlie hides in the cave to avoid the Beastmen.

13. (Jinn) After the Beastmen have left with their prisoners, in early morning, Lise returns through the cave. Hawk is taken to the jail in Jad and waits for night. When Hawk sees Angela and Duran dragged in, he recognizes Angela and waits for her to wake up. It is early evening when Angela and Duran wake up in the jail at Jad. Hawk runs away after freeing them, and barely misses the boat, having stopped to free the mayor of Jad. Carlie misses the boat and is stuck in Jad for a while. The Beastmen recognize her as an elf and leave her alone; it is humans they hate. She does not encounter Hawk, however, who is here at the same time.

14. (Gnome) Angela and Duran land in Maia, and decide to travel to Forcena to seek King Richard. They encounter Altenan soldiers, who destroy the bridge to Forcena, and they return to Maia to plan the next step. Angela seduces Duran. Lise returns to Jad slightly before noon, and finds she missed the escape boat. She stocks up to take an overland route. After Lise makes it back, the Priest puts up the new barrier. Kevin arrives afterward, and finding he cannot get through, backtracks.

15. (Holy Day) Angela and Duran seek out the Dwarf village. The Dwarves send them to talk to Watts, who can create the passage to Forcena. They enter the caves of the Cleft of the Earth.

16. (Luna) Angela and Duran find Watts, who is quickly chased away by the arrival of Jewel Eater. After the monster is destroyed, Gnome gives them his blessing, and Watts agrees to blow a passage through to Forcena. Kevin begins the swim to Mintos. He will be there for a while, hunting for Deathjester.

17. (Salamando) Angela and Duran return to the Dwarf Village, spending a few days there while the dwarves complete the passage.

20. (Jinn) Angela and Duran exit the newly completed passage to Forcena.

22. (Holy Day) Angela and Duran reach King Richard, and Koren leaves of his own volition. Richard welcomes them, and tells them to seek out Jinn next. Duran confesses feelings for Angela. Hawk has been hiding out for a few days and, hearing the rumors of Rolante, catches illicit passage there.

23. (Luna) Angela and Duran backtrack through the highlands and caves.

25. (Undine) Exiting the Cleft of the Earth, Angela and Duran turn west towards Byzel rather than returning to Maia. Around now, the Beastmen voluntarily leave, and Carlie can leave Jad as well. She wanders around for a while and at some point hears about the Priest; she tries to find her way to Diorre and her Faerie Grampa.

26. (Dryad) Angela and Duran leave by ship for Palo.

27. (Jinn) Lise arrives in Palo by the overland route.

28. (Gnome) Angela and Duran arrive in Palo, mid-evening, and see Lise talking to Eliza.

29. (Holy Day) Beginning the climb through the mountains, Angela and Duran find the meadow of sleeping flowers Eliza mentioned. Hawk arrives in Palo and scouts the town and Rolante castle.

30. (Luna) Angela and Duran wake up in the Amazon hideout and meet Lise. She joins them, and they trek up to the Corridor of Wind.

31. (Salamando) The trio reaches the top of the Corridor and stays by the Goddess statue.

32. (Undine) They find the Mana Stone and rescue Jinn. A one-way passage lets them leave the Corridor quickly, but they camp at the entrance.

33. (Dryad) They return to the hideout and prepare for assault the next day. Hawk sneaks somewhere in the Rolante castle at this point.

34. (Jinn) Rolante assault. Hawk joins.

35. (Gnome) Lise speaks to her people.

36. (Holy Day) While in Rolante, Angela turns her attention to Hawk.

38. (Salamando) The group has a private dinner in Rolante.

39. (Undine) The foursome travels down to Palo. Nikita is rescued, and stays in Rolante to recover. Angela tries to seduce Hawk.

40. (Jinn) They hop on the free ship.

43. (Holy Day) Concerned they have not arrived yet, they discover this is the Ghost Ship. After defeating Gorva, they plunge into the ocean. Hawk flags a fisherman and finds Lise. Booskaboo rescues Angela and Duran.

45. (Luna) Angela and Lise swindle a "ransom" for Hawk out of the Black Market.

46. (Salamando) They walk to Maia and take a room there. Hawk is able to get Lise to laugh. Angela and Duran resolve their stalemate.

45. (Undine) The trip back to Forcena begins. Hawk and Lise converse.

48. (Gnome) Richard welcomes the now-foursome back. Hawk yells at Lise.

50. (Holy Day) Lise takes Hawk into the forest for the day. She cries on his shoulder, and they share their first real kiss. Angela prods Hawk to seduce Lise.

51. (Luna) Travel back to Maia begins.

54. (Dryad) Angela introduces them to their new turtle transportation.

55. (Jinn) Angela arrives fearfully in Elrand. Hawk searches out news of the Princess. They purchase supplies and meet Rosa, the healer.

56. (Gnome) They enter the snowfields. Travel is slow.

60. (Undine) They reach the Mana Stone, and undergo their first class change.

64. (Holy Day) They return to Elrand. Hawk and Lise spend the night together.

65. (Luna) Lise tells Hawk she can't let the last night repeat itself. Angela picks up quickly what happened between the two. They begin the journey to Sultan, stopping the night in Palo.

66. (Salamando) Arrival in Sultan in the early evening.

67. (Undine) Travel to Deen.

68. (Dryad) They arrive in the Valley of Flames. Bill and Ben are killed, but Jessica is rescued; Nikita takes her to Deen. Bigieu unseals the Stone and escapes. They hurry back to Deen; Lise brings Jessica back to health.

69. (Jinn) Hawk watches over Jessica.

71. (Holy Day) The party convinces Hawk he can do no more, and they return to Sultan.

73. (Salamando) At daybreak, they begin the trip to Mintos, arriving just short of midnight. They head directly into the forest.

74. (Undine) They meet Lugar, Kevin, and Luna. Kevin had returned to the Moonlight Forest, though not the palace, to hunt for Deathjester. Kevin is led to his class change. They return to Mintos about midnight.

75. (Dryad) The party sleeps into the afternoon, departing for Diorre a couple hours before sunset.

76. (Jinn) They land in the Lampflower Forest in the early afternoon, and find Carlie a couple hours after sunset. They arrive in the elf village around midnight.

77. (Gnome) They sleep all day and leave for the Gildervine in the evening.

78. (Holy Day) They hurry out of the forest, now knowing the way, and arrive at the Island of Oblivion as the dawn breaks. Rapid travel to and from Rolante. Angela pulls the sword; the Fairy is captured. They stop in Elrand for the night.

79. (Luna) They confront Koren in Altena, and give away the Sword. Lise sends a note to Hawk at night.

80. (Salamando) With her mother gone, Angela, as the acting Queen, delegates responsibility to her mother's advisors.

81. (Undine) They enter Navarre and confront Jagan.

82. (Dryad) The rescued Navarrians send messengers out to bring back the scattered people.

88. (Undine) Jessica and Nikita arrives. Her reunion with Hawk is strained.

91. (Gnome) Jessica and Hawk part ways. Angela sends Lise to Hawk's room.

94. (Salamando) At the Fairy's insistence, the party plans to fight the God-Beasts.

97. (Jinn) They leave Navarre for the Gemstone Valley, and fight Land Umber.

98. (Gnome) They stay in Forcena.

102. (Undine) They leave for the Moonlit Forest in the late evening.

103. (Dryad) Dolan is defeated in the Moonlight Tower. They head for Wendel.

104. (Jinn) Carlie visits her sick grandfather. They decide to advance to Rolante.

106. (Holy Day) The party enters the Ancient Ruins of Light in the afternoon and fights Lightgazer at night. They return to Rolante.

107. (Luna) In the early morning, they arrive in Rolante.

111. (Jinn) They reenter the Corridor of wind, retracing their route.

112. (Gnome) Dangaard is defeated. Angela is critically injured.

113. (Holy Day) Angela swims in and out of consciousness, finally awakening briefly in mid-evening.

114. (Luna) Duran is allowed back in to see Angela.

116. (Undine) Angela refuses to take no for an answer, and they go to the Valley of Flames to fight Xan Bie.

117. (Dryad) The party stays in Sultan rather than Navarre. Hawk takes first Carlie to the beach, then Lise. Angela and Duran are fighting.

120. (Holy Day) They travel to Diorre for the night.

121. (Luna) They leave early to fight Mispolm, then return late to Altena. Angela and Duran make up.

122. (Salamando) They defeat Fiegmund in the Labyrinth of Ice Walls.

124. (Dryad) Angela meets with Archmages, who name her the "Fire Princess".

125. (Jinn) Stopping the night in Forcena, Richard convinces the Fairy to take them for their second class change.

126. (Gnome) Arrival in the Holyland for the second time.

127. (Holy Day) Second class change begins shortly after midnight. They leave for Pedan, but only find a ruined building.

128. (Luna) Hawk emerges from their shelter to find the city has reappeared. Angela discovers the Stone of Darkness may be in one of three places. Duran sees his father. Carlie leads them through the jungle, and they make camp by the Goddess Statue.

129. (Salamando) They crest the hill to find the Mana Stone of Darkness. A mirror below, blocked by the stone, catches the sun to reveal the Mirage Palace.

130. (Undine) The party makes their way through the illusions of the Mirage palace to find a weakened Heath at the top. Heath tells them to save Elliott first. They pack him up on Flammie, and return to Wendel, where Heath casts the spell that will give part of his own life to the Priest.

131. (Dryad) They begin the journey through the caverns of darkness. At the gates, they overrule Lise, exhausted, and set up watches.

132. (Jinn) Tough climb through the Dark Castle, culminating in the Bigieu fight. The Archdemon awaits at the top; Elliott is rescued. With the Archdemon gone, Flammie can approach the top, and takes them to Altena.

133. (Gnome) They enter the Glass Desert.

136. (Salamando) In the Glass Desert, they stop short of Dragon's Hole.

137. (Undine) Darkshine Knight defeated. A long trip through Dragon's Hole begins.

141. (Holy Day) Koren defeated. Valda rescued and returned to Altena. They find the Dragon Emperor in the Holyland. As he lies near death, the Archdemon emerges to steal the Emperor's life. Archdemon defeated at the tree. When defeated, the Sword falls to the ground, but the tree has died.

Same year. Departures. Angela and Duran separate. Hawk leaves briefly but returns three months later to Rolante. Carlie begins to prepare to take over from the Priest of Light. Kevin returns to the Beast kingdom. Duran joins the Knights of Gold. Angela is formally introduced to her father.

Two years later. Angela is twenty-one; her mother is forty-two. Valda announces her intentions to hand the throne to Angela, and for her and Duran to marry. Three months later, the marriage occurs. A month later, Valda formally leaves for Forcena.

Three years later. Altenan technology proceeds. Lise and Hawk consider their future. Hawk leaves to Forcena for the year.

Four years later. Valda, at forty-four, finds herself pregnant. The wedding is announced to take place in six weeks. Carlie officiates as her first responsibility as High Priestess. Hawk proposes to Lise at the wedding, and returns to Rolante.

Five years later. Hawk and Lise are married; they are age twenty-two and twenty-one.

Seven years later. Hawk and Lise's first daughter is named Aliota.

Eight years later. The Priest states his wish to join Carlie - chronologically twenty-three, but looking more like fourteen - to Heath, thirty-four. To her shocked friends, Carlie insists the Goddess wishes it so. They marry in a quiet ceremony in the Temple of Light.

Nine years later. The Priest of Light dies.

Ten years later. Lise has a second daughter, named Jelissa by Hawk.

Thirteen years later. Heath dies at age thirty-nine. A grieving Carlie leaves for Rolante, and announces to Lise that she is pregnant. Elliott, whose first kiss was with Carlie, is now twenty-one. Though Carlie is twenty-eight, she looks four years younger than Elliott. After baby Heath is born, Elliott tells Lise he will leave with Carlie to Wendel.

Fourteen years later. Angela has been married for twelve years, but she and Duran have no children, even as Hawk and Lise have their third daughter, Alluma. She visits Carlie in Wendel, but misunderstands the Bishop's advice. Returning to Altena, she realizes how much she has held back her feelings from Duran. She tells him one night how much she really needs him, and nine months later, her daughter is born.

Sixty-eight years later. Carlie buries the last of her friends, Hawk, on the mountaintop of Rolante, next to Lise, but facing the desert. Carlie is now eighty-three, but looks barely forty; her fifty-five year old son Heath looks the same age. She had five children with Elliott before he died six years ago, and thinks she may even have a couple more yet. Just before she departs, she sees Flammie at the mountaintop.


End file.
